Game of Destiny
by twsterling
Summary: This Stargate SG-1 story is set in the future: 2023. The story takes its time, it'll be a number of chapters before readers see Lanteans, Ascended Beings, Merlin, the Goa'uld, and so on, but it'll get there, so have patience. * Please, no reviews at this early stage. Thanks *
1. Chapter 2

**GAME OF DESTINY**

Author's Note: _Game of Destiny _is different from other SG-1 stories because it's set in the future. Also, the story takes its time; it will be quite a few chapters before readers see Lanteans, Ascended Beings, Merlin, the Goa'uld, or even see an SG-1 team member go through a Stargate – other than Teal'c. Therefore, I ask readers to have patience with the pace of the story. Lastly, be aware that references to people claiming to have seen apparitions in Lourdes, France, in 1858, and in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, are a matter of true historical record.

RELATED EPISODES:

_Red Sun _

_Thor's Hammer_

_A Hundred Days_

_Threads_

_Avalon I & II,_ & all

episodes involving Merlin

Disclaimer: All Stargate characters and storylines belong to MGM Entertainment, no copyright infringement is intended. No money is being made, this story was written just for fun.

* No reviews, please, at this early stage. Thanks.

PROLOGUE

_Look within, awaken, rise._

_\- _Ancient-Lantean mantra

"_The difference between Fate and Destiny? Whether known to us or not, Fate rules our lives, shaping them as inevitably as death._ _And yet a chance is also given us, in some small portion, to create our own Destiny, and therein lies the most essential factor: Courage._"

\- Akashic Records Keeper

P2Q-463, Vyus. Earth date-equivalent: 08.05.2023.

The wind was howling outside. Teal'c, now in his third day here, took refuge from the vast, all-encompassing dust storms, darkness falling as he hunkered down for the night in a bunker. He took off the dark glasses and hood he wore to help keep out the sand and the wind. There was so far no good explanation for the global storms, but he had been sent on a mission to investigate a series of strange phenomena on eleven other planets besides Vyus.

Teal'c had already investigated reports of catastrophic anti-gravity phenomena and people vanishing without a trace on P3X-974, Cimmeria, whose people used to believe the Asgard were Gods, and whose primary defense weapon was a device known as Thor's Hammer. He had travelled to K'Tau, whose people worship the god Freyr, after sightings of "ghostly apparitions" followed by scientific evidence of a miniscule slowing of K'Tau's planetary spin. On P5C-768, Edora, known for its naquadah mines and annual fire rain, and where a turbulent fire rain left O'Neill stranded for a hundred days – the planet experienced a range of extraordinary phenomena: severe drought was followed by epic floods; several groups of people in different geographic locations vanished without a trace; there were sightings of ghostly apparitions, and incandescent clouds of light which emitted a mysterious sound or _tone_ or vibration, immobilizing those in range of its influence. Like scientists working on these cases, Teal'c was mystified.

The Pangarians, who developed the drug Tretonin, which provides perfect health but is made from Goa'uld symbiotes, experienced drought, then floods, then a devastating anti-gravity episode, and now the same massive, global dust storms as on Vyus. Teal'c found similar patterns on Orban, and likewise on P2X-416, home of the Bedrosians and Optricans, and likewise, on P2S-4C3, Langara, the home world of Jonas Quinn, and more of the same on P2A-509, P26-007, P3C-117 and P3K-447.

With a few exceptions, all the affected planets had essentially followed the same sequence, with the planets in the worst shape now experiencing the global dust storms. What might come next was pure conjecture. Dr. Carter speculated that some unknown geo-magnetic disturbance might be leading towards planetary polar reversals; she said other scientists believed something had triggered catastrophic vacuum decay, which meant a vacuum bubble was expanding at light-speed and destroying everything in its path. However, she'd told him that so far none of their speculations could account for all the phenomena, and, as he understood it, their research still lacked a common denominator to tie everything together.

His investigation wasn't part of the Stargate Program; Teal'c began his expedition six months ago, departing Chulak after Chulak's representative in the planetary federation approached him and asked him to investigate the multi-planet phenomena. Chulak was now experiencing a severe drought, and there were reports of people vanishing. Would floods and ghostly apparitions and massive dust storms and the other phenomena experienced on other planets develop on Chulak, too?

Since the start of his investigation, Teal'c occasionally conferred with Dr. Carter, and following Dr. Carter's suggestion, Teal'c had begun wearing a unique tool belt with an assortment of scientific testing devices – several of which could double as weapons if the situation called for it. He wished he could call Dr. Carter and consult with her right now, but that wasn't possible: Earth's Stargate wouldn't be open again for another five days.

As he understood it, the reason was pure economics. The economic situation on Earth had become so dire and funds so scarce, that Stargate teams were rarely active these days; the Stargate Program had been cut back so severely, that the Stargate itself was generally now open for incoming traffic only one day every three months.

Like Teal'c, the other original members of SG-1 were now busy with individual projects of their own: Dr. Carter was retired from the military and worked with a contract research group exploring something known as "fractal nonlinear resonance detection" technology. Her infrequent contact with Teal'c was in a non-official, advisory capacity only. After Daniel Jackson's book was published, Jackson became the most famous anthropologist on Earth, having his choice of a host of anthropological research issues to pursue. Colonel Jack O'Neill had retired – more than once, but as far as Teal'c knew, he'd remained in retirement these last six months.

Teal'c tossed and turned, restless, trying to sleep, and now he heard a barely audible _tone_ or vibration, recognizable as one of the phenomena experienced on other planets. Some of those planets' inhabitants became immobilized upon hearing the sound, though he'd already learned he possessed the ability to block it. With the wind howling outside and the dust storms raging, Teal'c finally drifted off.

o - o - o - o - o

ON EARTH, unknown to Teal'c, the planet had experienced six months of drought, world-wide. Next came reports of groups of people vanishing without a trace, and reports of mysterious, incandescent "clouds of light," which emitted a mysterious "tone" or vibration, and which apparently immobilized those in range of its influence.

By June of 2023, two popular religious leaders in Jerusalem, Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan, made headlines when they announced to the world their belief that the incandescent clouds of light were actually a supernatural phenomenon, and that "the end times" were fast approaching.

Late in July rain finally returned to Planet Earth, constant, torrential rains causing floods of biblical proportions. In California, sizeable portions of the coast went underwater, and still it kept on raining. Then in August, according to reports that made world-wide news, "a ghostly apparition" of unknown origin was observed in Lourdes, France, on August 12th and 13th.

Lourdes was the town where Bernadette saw visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1858, making it a place for pilgrimage ever since, though now observers didn't claim it was Mary they saw but rather a "messenger from heaven." Given the accumulation of recent events and the general atmosphere of the times, it wasn't hard to understand why the apparition sightings in Lourdes sparked an interest in prophecy and had multitudes of people talking about "the end of the world."

o - o - o - o - o

**1 **

Los Angeles. August 15th, 2023 – during a brief break in the rains there. Twenty-one year old Nikki and her boyfriend, Fred, are looking through the menu while the waitress waits to take their order.

Nikki: "I'm gonna have the crab cakes."

Waitress: "One or two cakes?"

Nikki: "Two."

Waitress: "Alright, and what side orders would you like?"

Nikki looked and made some choices.

Waitress: "And you, sir?"

Fred: "I'll have the seafood platter. Can I get it without the _Special Creamy Sauce_?"

Waitress: "Sure. And what side orders?"

Fred: "I'll take the green beans ... and the broccoli. Yeah, that should be good."

Waitress: "What will you have to drink?"

Fred: "Water, please."

Nikki: "I'll have a glass of white wine. The chardonnay."

Fred, reproachfully: "Nikki!"

Nikki: "I can have a glass of wine with dinner if I want it."

Fred, to the waitress: "Miss, no wine for her. Doctor's orders."

Nikki, annoyed: "Freddie, I don't know what your problem is. One glass of wine's not gonna hurt anything."

Fred: "Miss, she can't drink, she's an alcoholic. And later, if I should have to go out to the Men's Room and she tries to order a drink ... don't give it to her. O.K.?"

The waitress nods her head 'yes.' After they finish giving her their orders, the waitress leaves and some minutes pass.

Fred has excused himself and left the table for a trip to the Men's Room. Nikki motions the waitress over to their table.

Waitress: "Can I get you something else?"

Nikki: "I'd like to order a glass of white wine. Chardonnay."

Waitress, not sure what to think: "Your friend said you're not supposed to drink."

Nikki: "Oh, my stupid boyfriend always says that when we go out to eat. It's really not true, that I'm an alcoholic. He's just really cheap and doesn't want to pay for anything he considers _unnecessary expenditures_. It's ridiculous, how cheap he is!" She sighed, a resigned kind of sigh. "But it's not really his fault, he's got that _obsessive-compulsive_ disorder, you know?"

Waitress: "Can I see your I.D.?"

Nikki: "I'm twenty-one," showing the waitress her driver's license.

The waitress doesn't want to be in the middle of this, doesn't know what to think or say. She hesitates, thinking it over and trying not to stare at her customer's left arm, which is completely covered with tattoos, thinking, this girl must be one hell of a wild child. Then coming up with an idea: "Everything's all on one bill, so ... maybe we'd better wait for your boyfriend to get back."

Nikki, getting her wallet out of her purse, pulling out some bills. "Look, I have my own money. I'll pay for it."

The waitress, looking perplexed, doubtful about everything that's transpired.

Nikki: "Listen, what's your name?"

Waitress: "Marie."

Nikki: "Well listen, Marie, I don't want to argue with you about this, I'm a paying customer and I can have a drink if I want one. And don't take too long, O.K.? I'd like to have it here already before Old Cheapskate gets back and makes a fuss."

The waitress wishes this wasn't her table, now looking in the direction of the Men's Room, thinking, Why the hell is the boyfriend taking so long?

Nikki: "Listen, Marie, I'll give you a nice tip, O.K.? Now please go and get me my drink."

The waitress walks off, not to get the drink but to try to stall until the boyfriend gets back.

Fred seems to be taking a long time in the Men's Room. Nikki sits waiting for her drink. She puts her wallet back in her purse and sees her pack of Virginia Slims there in the purse. Wonders if she has time to go out for a quick smoke before Freddie gets back and before the waitress gets back with her drink?

o - o - o - o - o

They managed to have dinner without a ruckus. They've left the restaurant, Fred just put the key in the ignition.

Nikki: "Why don't you ever let _me_ drive? You said I_ could_ sometime."

Fred: "Sure, you can drive, just not today."

Nikki: "You _always_ say that." Pouting, grumbling, "I _never_ get to drive. It's not fair."

They start driving and pull on to the highway. She pulls out a cigarette from her purse.

Fred: "Don't you light that up in here, I'm warning you. I'll stop this car and kick you out, so help me God!"

Nikki: "Oh, you're so obsessive about everything. You're stifling me, I'm suffocating, I can hardly _breathe_ around you anymore!"

Fred: "I don't care, light that up and neither of us will be able to breathe. I'm warning you."

Nikki: "It's you, it's _your_ fault. You're always _on_ me about something – being around you is makin' me wanna smoke more than I usually would, you know that?"

Fred didn't respond, he was trying to hold back things he _could_ say.

Nikki: "You didn't use to be like this, you used to be fun."

Fred: "Yeah, I used to be fun."

Nikki: "Well, you did. You're driving me crazy, I don't know how much longer I can take it."

Fred: "Do we have some contract I don't know about, holding you here?"

Nikki: "You couldn't stand it without me, not having me to boss around and control. You can't see yourself as you are, the way _I_ do."

They got quiet then, Fred thinking, she wouldn't talk this way if she were really herself. No, of course she wasn't an alcoholic, but it wasn't good for her to drink, not in her condition. He'd seen her in some pretty dark moods lately, and as far as letting her drive, well, it wasn't safe, simply because – she drove_ too fast_.

Nikki thinking, she knew what she'd said wasn't true, and she knew he knew it too. She pushed him because she had to, because she needed someone to push against and she knew he could take it. Seemed like he could always take anything she threw at him, no matter what.

Nikki still held the unlit cigarette in her right hand, neither one saying anything, no music on the radio, the car getting quiet, quiet, quiet. They drove that way in silence for a mile, then two miles, the silence now virtually echoing around them, until, finally, Fred reached for Nikki's left hand and took one of her fingers, putting it in his mouth, sucking on it. Pulling it out, putting another one in and sucking on that, making a sound like _mmmmmm_.

Nikki sat there just looking on, not enthusiastic, saying as if mildly annoyed, "My fingers'll be all sticky now," but she didn't pull them away. Fred sucked on one finger then the other for a while until eventually she pulled them away.

Nikki: "I'm not going to that therapy session tomorrow."

Fred: "You promised you'd go."

Nikki: "Therapists are quacks."

Fred: "Look, don't you think you ought to try _something_? I'll go with you. Anyway, Dr. Lynh's expecting you."

Nikki: "It's a waste of time. My father thinks so too."

Fred: "Did he actually say that?"

Nikki: "He said he tried going to shrinks once, when he was about my age, and it didn't help. He said it was basically a waste of time."

Fred: "Maybe it was, in his case. But your father's not some normal, ordinary guy."

Nikki: "What's _that_ got to do with it?"

Fred: "It's just different." He stopped, trying to think of what he really wanted to say. "Listen, it was hard on me, that time you blacked out. It's not so easy, you know, waiting for someone to wake up from a coma."

Nikki: "Coma, schmoma. It wasn't even a coma. The latest I've heard they're calling it _an extended unconscious incident_. Anyway, those doctors don't know anything, you _know_ that."

Fred: "Yeah, well, I'm just trying to look out for you. Listen, when we get home let's call your father. It's been a couple of months, hasn't it?"

Nikki, doubtfully: "I don't know, I'm not sure I feel like talking to my father right now."

Fred: "I'm gonna call him."

Nikki was quiet, lost in thought for a moment, then said: "Alright Freddie, you can call, but can we stop at the cemetery first?"

o - o - o - o - o

Twilight in the cemetery, stopping at her mother's grave. Not her birth mother – Nikki was adopted when she was eight – but her adoptive mother, Silke. Darkening clouds overhead, Nikki quietly mumbling an Eastern mystic prayer she'd learned from an old book at the bookstore.

May those wandering in the fiery desert

find direction and hope in You, O Lord,

May those lost in the frozen wasteland

find new spirit and release in You, O Lord,

May those who are weary and powerless find

strength and everlasting peace in You, O Lord.

She repeated the prayer over and over then suddenly stopped, looking up and away towards the trees at the end of the lawn. Just for a moment, she thought she saw a shadow there, where oak trees lined up beyond the access road. But it was nothing, and there was none of the familiar up-rush or down-rush of feelings when _things_ began to happen. No goosebumps, no tingling sensation.

Fred, looking in that direction: "What is it? Did you see something?"

"No, it's nothing."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. It's nothing."

"How are you feeling?"

"O.K., I guess. It won't last though. I wish I could just stay here."

Clouds filled the sky and then a sprinkling of rain. After they got home Fred soon had her father on the line. It was an international call and took a minute to get through. When her father answered on the other end, Fred said, "Daniel, this is Fred. I've got Nikki here. She wants to talk to you."

Nikki shooed Fred out of the room, hesitated, then picked up the phone.

"Dad?"

"How's my baby girl?"

"O.K., I guess. I miss you, Dad."

"I miss you too, kid."

"Are you in Lourdes?"

"Yeah, I'm in Lourdes."

Her father, the famous Dr. Daniel Jackson, settled himself in a chair in his hotel room in the small town in southern France.

He said, "I hear you're getting a lot of rain there."

"Yep, lot of rain."

"Who ever heard of rain in L.A. in August?"

Nikki, facetiously, "Haven't you heard? It's the end of the world."

Daniel chuckled, it was good to know her sense of humor was intact.

Nikki: "Did you get my e-mail about Ron?"

They talked for a while about her bookstore-owner friend who'd passed away, Ron McAllister, until Daniel eventually asked, "How's Fred?"

"O.K., I guess."

"Has he been taking care of you?"

"Too much. He's gettin' on my nerves."

"Well ... I bet it's just because he cares about you. Maybe he's trying too hard, but ..."

When Nikki didn't respond, Daniel asked, "Is the wedding still on?"

"Oh, I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I guess I'm kinda having second thoughts."

Daniel settled in some more. They talked for about an hour.


	2. Game of Destiny - Chapter 2

**2**

**Somewhere in Minnesota. **

It was mid-morning, still August 15, 2023. Jack had the television on, mostly for the effect of having background noise for company while cleaning one of his handguns on the living room table, yesterday's newspaper spread out underneath to catch the oil. He expected the doorbell to ring any minute – but he was almost done. While he finished working on the gun, news story headlines from the _Star Tribune_ on the table caught his eye: _Rain in L.A. continues_, and another headline about people vanishing, somewhere in the Middle East, and the one about "a miracle apparition" in Lourdes. Jack wasn't paying much attention to the TV, but in the background the TV was playing an old _Star Trek_ episode. Spock told Kirk: "Annihilation, Jim. Total, complete, absolute annihilation."

Jack's dog, Blue, got up and started barking. The doorbell rang – that would be Graciella Melendez, his housekeeper, who came three times a week to restore order to Jack's humble abode.

"Buenos Dias, Graciella."

"Buenos Dias, Señor O'Neill. Como estas?"

"Muy bien. Usted?"

"Muy bien, gracias. How did your bowling go last night, Señor O'Neill?" She knew he bowled every Monday, Tuesday and Saturday nights.

"Oh, pretty good, Graciella. Getting better, I think."

"Did you make 250, as you were trying to do?"

"Well, I'm getting closer. I did 233 on Saturday night last week, and 239 last night."

"Not bad, you're getting better and better." She saw a heap of bottles, cans, plastic containers and newspapers in big boxes in the corner, prepared for recycling. "Are you going to the recycling center today, señor?"

"Sure am. Just as soon as you get settled in here. How was your vacation in L.A.? How's your mother?"

"Muy Bien. She watches her soaps, then goes to her job in the evenings –– she does cleaning like I do. She's getting older, you know how it is. But now there's something new ... she's trying to learn to drive. She's sixty-three years old but she's determined to do it!"

Jack nodded, knowing she liked to talk about her mother in Los Angeles.

Graciella continued, "But when I was there that rain just wouldn't let up ... it rained and rained, on and on and on."

Jack: "Any flooding where your mother lives?"

"No, she's been lucky so far, but she's not used to all that. I mean, it's not just the rain, it seems like you hear sirens wailing at all hours of the night, and helicopters chopping overhead all day, and maybe people are getting used to it but not my mother, and not _me_ either! Oh no, not me, I'd have a hard time living there with all of that!" Then she lowered her voice, telling him, "I'm starting to think it's the end of the world, Señor O'Neill, like they say."

"Is that what you think?"

"Si señor, it's what I think."

"Well, Graciella, I don't know, I think maybe people are getting a little bit over-excited about nothing, you know? It'll all blow over any day now, you'll see."

Graciella had hung up her sweater in the closet while they talked, Jack and his dog following her as she headed towards the kitchen. She thought, how crazy everything seemed lately, and she asked, "Do you miss going off-world, Señor O'Neill, through the Stargate? Do you miss being able to leave on your adventures and just get away, to be away from all the crazy things people do here on this planet?" She knew all about it. Everybody did. About the Stargate and about Jack's role.

By the year 2023 people all over the world knew about the Stargate program. Although the program was severely cut back the year before due to a lack of funding, information was first officially disclosed in 2023 as part of the coming election-year political strategy. The White House decided to go public, reasoning that if people were aware of the larger universe and were kept reminded of all the bad guys out there, it would bring emphasis to the "experience" issue, which would help the incumbent. In other words, it was all politics.

Of course, Jack was long retired from the military and the Stargate program, although periodically he'd been called in to Washington to speak before a Senate or House Oversight Committee to testify regarding some issue or other, but there was definitely a change in people's thinking since the information came out. He remembered what it was like, the general population's reaction on learning there were other intelligent beings out there, other non-human races on other planets and that we could go there if we wanted, using the Stargate. Seeing pictures of the Asgard, hearing about the Goa'uld and the Wraith and about Atlantis, was almost too much to absorb. Almost too much already even _before_ hearing about the _Destiny_ and all those people on board who seemed to have disappeared.

Anyway, after that information came out things seemed to change, there seemed to be a different conception in the air about a human being's place in the universe. As if people might try to become more principled or a little less materialistic – something like that. But that didn't last long, now people seemed to have either gone back to their old ways or else wasted a lot of time looking for signs and wonders and watching and waiting for "the end of the world."

Jack said, "No, I don't miss going off-world, Graciella. I've got enough to do right here. I'm enjoying the whole retirement thing."

She looked back at him as if she wondered if it were really true.

Jack said, "I mean it, I don't want to change anything. And I don't miss going off-world."

Graciella put on some gloves and started cleaning and their conversation went back to the recycling: "That's a lot of bottles you've got there, Señor."

Jack: "Yeah, I know." He'd adopted the philosophy that "life's too short to drink cheap beer," and had upgraded to drinking Heineken in bottles.

Graciella: "Well, I think that's nice, that you're recycling like that. It's good for the environment."

Jack left Blue home with Graciella and an hour later, at the recycling center, Jack was sorting out plastic containers and cans and glass bottles by size and type and color. Then he was off to run some other errands and to a late lunch with a friend and to the post office, then eventually to the bowling alley.

Jack stood watching one of the regulars there bowl: so far, George had a strike in every frame. He already had a score of 270 through 9 frames, working on a perfect game. But George was an ex-pro, so what could you expect? Jack's average hovered around 215, 220, 225. His current goal was just to average something like 230.

George threw another strike, turned and caught sight of Jack standing there, watching. Jack asked, "Don't you ever miss, George?"

George: "Once in a while, Jack, once in a while."

They exchanged more small talk and then George said, "My dog heard something last night, had her all rattled. Listened to the radio this morning and seems like I wasn't the only one. What about you, your dog hear anything?"

"Yeah, Blue heard something, alright. Don't know what."

"No idea?"

"No idea."

Jack's dog, Blue, had started barking a little before midnight last night, barking and standing listening by the window. Must have heard something out of the ordinary because then Blue really started raising a ruckus, getting all agitated and that went on for an hour or so, though Jack had gone outside the house for a look around after a few minutes and didn't see or hear anything at all. Everything was quiet, and he had no idea until now that other dogs might have heard something too.

George: "I think there's something going on out there these days, Jack, somethin' strange. What about that article in _Time Magazine_ last week, _The End Times?_ Did you see that?"

"I heard about it."

"Did you read it?"

"Didn't have time."

"What about that group of people who just _vanished_, and these incandescent _clouds of light_, or whatever they are, and that apparition in Lourdes? What about all that rain in Los Angeles?"

Jack may have seemed nonchalant about everything else, but not about the heavy rains and flooding in L.A., where Graciella's mother lived. He said, quite sincerely, "Yeah, George, terrible about the floods, isn't it?"

"Yeah, terrible, but ... what d'ya think, Jack, is it the end of the world?"

"That's what people are sayin'."

"But what do you think, Jack? Is there something going on? Have you got some insider information for us?" George always seemed to think Jack had access to all kinds of secret information.

"For the last time, George, I don't have any _insider_ information. But to answer your question, I guess I think it's just some strange kind of rough patch we're goin' through, that's all."

All that kind of talk was startin' to annoy him.

At home that night, Jack had his feet up, a slice of cake on the table and a bottle of beer in his hand, relaxing while he watched the TV news which was showing the rain in Los Angeles. He couldn't help thinking that yeah, it was raining in L.A. in August, which was strange enough, but it just seemed like people everywhere were _already_ on edge even _before_ the rains began. He pulled out that newspaper he'd saved, to look at that article again. He'd already read it several times. On the front page of the_ Star Tribune_, at the top: _Rain in L.A. continues. Flooding worries coast._ Jack skimmed down further on the front page:_ Group of one hundred twenty-five people appear to have vanished_ _in Israel_. He kept going, looking for the article he'd skimmed yesterday. There it was: _Apparition-seeking_ _crowds gather in Lourdes for second day._ According to the article, _Physics prize winner Dr. Stefan Davidson said, _"_If it's a hoax, we'll discover how it was designed and we'll expose it._" The article described the scene there in southern France, where some of the religious faithful were talking about "_the end of the world_" and one typical believer was quoted as saying, "_Get yourselves ready, it's the day of reckoning._" But Jack was skimming all that too, looking down further for what got his attention when he saw it yesterday and finally he found it: _Besides Davidson, the scientific team that arrived on the scene includes religion scholar Dr. _Karine _Renée Amoukar from the Sorbonne in Paris and famed anthropologist Dr. Daniel Jackson from the United States. Team leader Jackson promised a thorough investigation. The research, sponsored by an organization based in the United States, funds a varied series of scientific research projects_ ... and so on and so on, as he stopped reading and put the newspaper down. 

Jack knew Daniel enjoyed the notoriety as much as he himself loved his privacy. He tossed the paper away, took a swig on his beer and reached for a slice of cake. A lady friend had made it for him. He was thoroughly enjoying his retirement and these days the peace and quiet of Minnesota felt like all he could ever ask for.

His dog was asleep on the rug on the floor where he usually slept. Jack wondered, what the hell could've rattled Blue last night like that? Sometimes he wished he _did_ have some insider information, but he didn't, beyond what he got through normal channels from an organization he worked for called _Global Forces International_. His role was supposed to be purely advisory, but signing that contract might've been a big mistake. The reason: he'd been informed last week that a Global Forces reconnaissance drone disappeared over Israeli air space – not lost as in "shot down," this drone had mysteriously vanished from radar and disappeared into thin air. And it wasn't just any old drone – it had experimental technology aboard, presenting major security concerns if it fell into the wrong hands.

He had a bad feeling about all this. The way his contract read, something like this could pull him into something big, something that might disturb his valuable peace and quiet, big time.

o - o - o - o -


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

**Lourdes, France. August 17, 2023. **

Daniel's team members were spooked. It felt like there were eyes everywhere, watching them. They all felt that way, though they couldn't explain it, and Stefan several times said, "I can't shake the feeling somebody's watching me." So far there was nothing concrete to back it up.

Daniel's team, making their headquarters in a conference room at their hotel in Lourdes, included Dr. Stefan Davidson, a noted physics professor from Oxford; replacing Dr. Amoukar, who'd withdrawn due to illness, was Dr. Samantha Carter, on loan from her research company based in Colorado; and finally, getting there just yesterday, Teal'c. For the last several days, they'd interviewed people who'd reported seeing a ghostly "apparition" in the sky, though none of Daniel's team had seen one, and the sightings were apparently drying up, which meant they might even have to quit their investigation. On top of that, there were security concerns.

Lourdes was crowded, both with devout believers and curiosity seekers, and with the crowds came problems: tensions arose, a criminal element got involved, and violence broke out. In their conference room off the hotel lobby, Daniel's team had the television tuned to the BBC News; the reporter said,

"_After the long drought in the United States and elsewhere, we've seen floods,_" – the camera showing footage of southern California under water; "_A month ago came reports of a group of one hundred twenty-five people vanishing, in Israel; and now, sightings of an apparition in Lourdes;_"_ – _the camera footage showing fields on the edge of Lourdes, where crowds of people gathered, watching and waiting.

Sam asked, "Teal'c, in the course of your investigations on the planets you visited, was there some phenomena which was an exception? Maybe something unique, but not recorded in your log?"

"Due to time limitations, Doctor Carter, it was impossible to investigate every unusual report or rumor, and such cases never became part of my log. Most unusual were rumors of a _leper colony_ on K'Tau."

Sam: "A _leper colony_? Who referred to it that way?"

"A Tau'ri doctor who was visiting at the time used that term, and told me its meaning. But he himself admitted it might only be a matter of rumor, as he himself had no personal experience or actual contact with the _colony_, as he called it."

Sam: "Hmmm. How odd."

Teal'c: "The rumors told of K'Tau inhabitants with_ lizard skin_, and other physical disfigurements and deformities. K'Tau officials denied any such phenomenon existed."

Sam: "Leprosy is known on Earth as an ancient disease, referred to in the Christian gospels. It was highly contagious – those afflicted by the disease were kept apart, quarantined on mountains or in remote locations." Sam tried to imagine a leper colony on K'Tau, then asked, "Any other interesting cases not mentioned in your log?"

Teal'c reflected a moment than answered, "On Langara, Dr. Carter, the Kelownans experienced a notable rise in suicides. The Chief Minister for Public Relations was hesitant to make that information public, which is why the case doesn't appear in my log, but he thought it best I know. He told me they knew of one hundred twenty-one suicides during the last six months, compared to just thirteen suicides in the previous five years."

Carter: "Hmmm. Any personal take on that?"

Teal'c: "It has been my experience, Dr. Carter, that too many suicides is bad for morale."

Carter cracked a smile and said, "You're right about that. But no explanation?"

"I have found no explanation for the phenomena, Dr. Carter."

Another news report caught their attention, describing the scene in Lourdes. The BBC reporter said, "_The influx of Christian visitors to Lourdes faces protests today from the growing Muslim majority. Authorities were challenged with sporadic clashes in the last few days, with one death and scores of injured in fighting today between demonstrators at the edges of town._"

Daniel got a call and said, "The hotel security supervisor wants me to go see him about some issues ... Teal'c, how about coming outside with me?"

They went outside to meet him; meanwhile, inside the conference room, Sam and Stefan Davidson once again reviewed the sequence on other planets, trying to find correlations and a common thread in the phenomena: drought, floods, people vanishing; swirling, incandescent "clouds of light;" apparitions, anti-gravity phenomena, a slowing planetary spin, and the global dust storms.

Stefan asked, "What's the common thread here, the common denominator?"

Sam: "Yes, does one thing trigger another? Are some of these phenomena independent of the others, or maybe even coincidental?"

Stefan: "But even if coincidental, not necessarily random."

Sam: "True. The planets are all in our galaxy. And they're all planets SG-1 visited at one time or another. But not all planets experienced all of the phenomena."

Stefan: "Have we calculated the distance of each planet, each from their respective star? That is, in regard to the strength of their magnetic fields?"

Sam: "I calculated the Chapman-Ferraro distance looking for the solar wind pressure factor we'd expect each planet to be capable of withstanding, but, well ..."

Stefan: "Nothing?"

Sam: "Nothing that gets us anywhere."

Stefan: "No weakness in the magnetosheath?"

Sam: "Nothing substantial."

Stefan: "Even accounting for solar wind fluctuation?"

Sam: "Nothing substantial. What we really need is more information. We need the Stargate open so we can get out there and make our own investigations."

Stefan: "Yes, I agree that'd make a difference. But I also think we ought to forget about apparitions. There are other areas that would be more important for directing our research."

"Such as?"

"Such as the possibility that an _active galactic nucleus_ is in play here. Perhaps the centrifugal mechanism of acceleration has changed course at our galactic center? We ought to be conducting tests to see whether the X-ray continuum emission or X-ray line emission is more dominant, and determine which cold heavy elements have been illuminated by the X-ray emissions. In particular, the iron feature around 6.4 keV."

Sam: "We have other teams working on that. Still, holding an _AGN_ responsible is highly theoretical and ... highly unlikely. Let's get back on track, shall we, regarding apparition sightings?"

Stefan: "Sure, but just so you understand, in my opinion we're wasting time here on something that's not likely to lead us any closer to the common denominator. I think we ought to forget about apparitions and re-direct our attention to subjects that really matter."

Sam: "Yes, Stefan, I'm well aware you feel that way, but look, the apparitions are the reason we're here."

Stefan: "Yes, understood, but I mean, what the hell are they anyway, _ghosts_? I mean, you expect me to take this kind of thing seriously?"

Stefan Davidson was an Englishman out of Oxford who'd made a name for himself in physics. He was a religious skeptic and, some might say, a bit egotistical. At thirty-five years old, he was the youngest of the renowned scientists and also the most ambitious, badly wanting to debunk what he considered a hoax or a fraud and thereby add to his reputation for rigorous, scientific investigation.

Stefan not giving up easily, "If you ask me, all this running around chasing apparitions is an exercise in futility. Just a big waste of time, when we could be concentrating on other phenomena that are more important."

Sam: "Let the other teams do their jobs, Stefan. We're bound to find something here, if we just stay focused." Stefan Davidson might be a brilliant scientist, Sam thought, but he wasn't known for being a team player. She told him, "You know, my research group has developed some new technology, a device essentially designed to detect fractal nonlinear resonance. I'd like to get a chance to use it in person, if we could just get in range of one of those _apparitions_."

Stefan: "Nothing wrong with trying your new technology, but mark my words, these apparition sightings are simply the result of a hysterical populace with hyperactive imaginations."

Sam thinking, Stefan was every bit the _prima donna_ Daniel had told her he was, and more. She said, "Well, at least we agree – with the Stargate open, we could get out there and make our own investigations."

o - o - o - o - o

Outside, Daniel and Teal'c met with Francois Delacour, the hotel's security chief. Francois told them, "We've received a reconnaissance report that a terrorist group, named _rosa en rosa_, has moved in to take advantage of the chaos in Lourdes. There are reports that _rosa en rosa_ operatives have executed captured enemies on the edge of town."

_Rosa en rosa_ had emerged as an infamous new terrorist group.

Teal'c: "I have heard their members wear red rings."

Francois: "True. I've also seen some of the more audacious ones wearing red vests."

Daniel: "What do you suppose they did to cross the _rosa en rosa?_"

Francois: "Perhaps they saw something they weren't supposed to see, or heard something they shouldn't have heard._ Rosa en rosa_ operatives are known as gun runners, and are prominent in the drug trade, and recently, by expanding into the sale of human body parts."

Francois: "Their specialty is torture. When they capture an enemy, that captive will scream and beg to die, but no one is going to die a fast and easy death on their watch. They have a reputation to keep and uphold."

Daniel said, "Ummmm," Teal'c said, "Indeed."

Francois: "The truth is, Lourdes right now is a snake pit. I'm sorry to have to say it, but it's true. So I need you and your people to be very, very careful, and be aware of your surroundings at all times."

In fact, it was the security issue that brought Teal'c to the team. The organization that recruited Daniel was headed by a man named Wilkerson, who wouldn't fund the research team, especially in Europe these days, without a security risk-management plan – that is, without a bodyguard. Wilkerson had a man but Daniel wanted Teal'c and that's how Teal'c came on board.

Daniel and Teal'c came inside. To the research team, the hotel felt like a fortress in the middle of a storm, with so much turmoil in Lourdes going on around them. Aside from the danger, the crowds in the small town created a circus atmosphere and the prevailing climate of the times was full of dismal news.

As Daniel and Teal'c walked through the hotel lobby, two young women walked up to Daniel, introduced themselves and asked for Daniel's autograph; Daniel gave it graciously. It happened often in the last few days, Daniel always gracious, smiling, handling it nicely. The truth was, he enjoyed the attention.

Whenever Sam saw Daniel giving his autograph, she found it amusing, whereas Stefan found it annoying. Stefan tried to ignore the fact that Dr. Jackson, and to a lesser extent Dr. Carter, were world-famous and the center of attention, and he felt a flash of jealousy – though of course, he would never admit that. Jackson became famous after writing a book with stories of his days with SG-1; Carter had written one too, but it concentrated on Faster-Than-Light theory and topics in relativity physics that were mostly too confusing for the general public, with the result that few people read it.

Inside the conference room, Daniel and Teal'c updated their team members about _rosa en rosa_. Sam said, "Stefan thinks our investigation of apparitions is a waste of time."

"Daniel: "Is that so?"

Stefan: "Well, I didn't put it quite so bluntly. But look, we interviewed a number of people, and there was never a message. How is it that people claim the apparition was Moses or John the Baptist or_ a_ _messenger from heaven_, but then there's no message?"

Sam: "Yes, it was just their impression, that they were seeing messengers from heaven. But of course, people in Lourdes are believers, they are here looking to be healed in body and mind."

Yes, of course, Daniel thought, because of the visions of Bernadette in 1858 and the healings reported there ever since. He knew the history: the town of 15,000 had 270 hotels to accommodate millions of seasonal pilgrim-tourists, but it was just a quiet town in southern France until the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous eighteen times in 1858. Lourdes became a place of pilgrimage and miraculous healings. People believe that spring water from the grotto there has healing properties, and thus far the Vatican has officially recognized sixty-seven healings as miraculous.

Davidson, addressing his words to Daniel, "Why bother with apparitions when there's other aspects of the sequence that we should be focusing on?"

Daniel and Sam exchanged a knowing look – Daniel knew how she felt about the English physics professor.

Daniel: "Stefan, we're here to concentrate on the apparitions. However, it might be out of our hands, anyway."

Stefan: "Why?"

Daniel told them that, with the apparition-sightings drying up here at Lourdes, "We might have to close it down." He told them, "I'm supposed to call Wilkerson and find out our status. In fact, let me call now, and see what he says."

Daniel called, talked for a couple of minutes, then got off and told them, "I have bad news and good news. Bad news first: Wilkinson said that without more sightings, there's not enough to keep us here – the foundation won't pay for it. So, we're shutting it down."

Sam: "When?"

Daniel: "Immediately."

Stefan: "What's the good news?"

Daniel: "There's new reports of apparitions."

Stefan: "There are?"

Daniel: "Yes. But not in Lourdes."

Stefan: "Where are they?"

Daniel: "In Fatima."

Sam: "Fatima?!"

Daniel: "That's right, Fatima. Can you believe it?"

They all knew that Fatima was just as famous for miracles as Lourdes. He told them, "And there's something else too."

Stefan: "What?"

Daniel: "The reports say people entered into an apparition."

Sam's eyes wide and mouth open in amazement, "_Entered into the apparition?! What?!_"

Daniel: "That's right, but we'll talk more on the train. Right now we've got to get going – we don't want to get there too late, _again_, and miss whatever's going on there. So, I'd like to see everybody packed-up and outside to get a taxi to the train station ... in half an hour. O.K.?"

o - o - o - o - o

As Daniel made his way to his room to pack up, he got a text from Nikki. She asked, _Is everything O.K. in Lourdes? I'm on my way to Ron McAllister's funeral._

His daughter was now on his mind as pieces of last night's conversation with his daughter drifted through his memory.

Nikki had asked, "Dad, did you get my e-mail about Ron?"

"Yes I did." He was sorry to hear about that. Ron McAllister had been the long-time owner of a bookstore on Figueroa Street near 6th, before he passed away. Daniel had asked Nikki, "What happened?"

"Heart attack. He was in his sixties. But we were friends, you know?"

It seemed to Daniel that she didn't have a lot of friends. Daniel also knew she had problems, it'd been a rough time for her after his wife died. Silke was only fifty-two when she died, about a year ago after an illness.

Daniel and Silke adopted Nikki when she was eight years old. Nikki was abandoned as a two month-old infant. Left on the doorstep of the Catholic Charities Association in downtown Los Angeles, raised and schooled early on by Catholic nuns. Nothing was known about her birth mother, and even celebrating her own birthday became an issue when she entered her teens and it dawned on Nikki that she never knew her real birthday.

Daniel remembered how, just a few months ago, she'd been excited about graduating from college; she'd just finished her finals in May and was on a plane on her way to see him when she blacked out. She ended up spending two days in the hospital, and after that things got more complicated.


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

On the high-speed "bullet train," only three first-class seats were available, so Teal'c volunteered for a coach seat several cars back. As the train got rolling, Sam finally asked what she'd been waiting to ask: "So, Daniel, people say they went _inside_ an apparition?"

"That's what Wilkerson said."

Stefan incredulous too, echoing Sam, "They went _inside_? What does that _mean_?"

Daniel: "Apparently they walk straight ahead and enter the apparition. Eventually the apparition dims and fades and disappears."

Sam: "It disappears?!"

Daniel: "That's right."

Sam: "Unbelievable! What else?"

Daniel: "That's all I know."

Sam: "How many reported going inside?"

Daniel: "Don't know yet."

Stefan: "Did anyone report a message?"

Daniel: "No, not as far as we know."

Stefan: "Did anybody get a picture?"

"No."

Stefan: "How could no one get a picture on their phone?"

Daniel: "I don't know. Same as Lourdes, there's no pictures. Maybe technology goes inactive around the apparitions? I don't know."

Stefan: "If no photographers or _anybody_ even got a cell phone picture, I take that to mean they're not seeing with their _eyes_. I think it's all mental, nothing but the hallucinatory products of their imaginations."

Sam: "They can't be hallucinations."

Stefan: "Why not?"

Sam: "Because the apparitions were seen by more than one person."

Stefan: "Then they're mass hallucinations."

Sam: "I don't think so."

Daniel: "Sam's right. There's never been any agreement as to what _mass hallucinations_ means. A person sees a mirage in the desert as an individual, not as a group. Illness or drugs in an individual's system can produce hallucinations – but what creates mass hallucinations?"

Sam: "Besides, the people who entered not only disappeared but, apparently, haven't been seen again. I can't see that anything _hallucinatory_ is involved here, Stefan. More likely, these so-called apparitions are some kind of extra-dimensional phenomena ... but we've got to start by seeing one of these things ourselves, in person."

Stefan: "Why do people enter at all? Where do they think they're going?"

Daniel: "To heaven, I'd guess."

The talk continued, revolving around the logistics of how people could enter an apparition, and if the apparitions were some sort of physical vehicle, how did they appear and disappear out of thin air?

Stefan said, "My problem is, people have no idea of what they've seen. They assume it must be some religious figure ... Moses or John the Baptist, or some other emissary from heaven," shaking his head dismissively, "but they don't really know."

A waiter came through the First Class car offering drinks and snacks, and Sam asked him how long it would take to get to Fatima? He told her, "Three hours." The new high-speed train cut the time of the six hundred mile trip by two thirds.

Daniel said, "A plane wouldn't have left until tomorrow afternoon, and we'd have had to fly to Lisbon and make a connection into Fatima. It would have cost us a day." He retrieved a schedule from his bag and read off the stops: "Bayonne, Hendaye, Irun, Fatima."

Sam: "It's too bad about Teal'c, having to be in Coach Class."

Everyone else said yes, it was too bad. Daniel asked Sam, "How much time are they giving you?"

Sam: "Four weeks."

Daniel: "But they can't fire you if you're gone longer, can they?

"No, I don't think so. They need me."

There was talk of the Stargate, Stefan asking, "Considering this is an emergency, shouldn't that be reason enough to let us use it?"

Daniel answered, "I don't know, Stefan, but we're working on it. Right, Sam?"

Sam: "Yes, Jack's supposed to be in Washington on the twenty-first. He's gonna give it his best shot."

Once again they were interrupted by an autograph seeker – this time the waiter came in escorting a young Catholic nun, who slowly approached them, greeted Daniel and spent a minute or two speaking in French with him – eventually asking for his autograph. Daniel offered it graciously, they shook hands, and she left.

They drank their drinks, settled in, pulled out notebooks and phones and recording devices. There was still a bit of daylight outside; they sat for a few minutes watching the countryside go by, gradually dozing and drifting off.

o - o - o - o - o

Back in coach, something caught Teal'c's eye. It was just before they started moving again after the Bayonne stop, when he felt like stretching his legs and ended-up standing at the Observation Deck, that he happened to see five men jump on the train, unobserved by train personnel. Teal'c went back to his seat while considering two possibilities: one, the men were hitching a free ride because they were down-on-their-luck, a situation which, he knew, was more and more common these days on Planet Earth. The second possibility: they were _rosa en rosa_.

But something about those men hung heavily on his mind, something suspicious. Did he see the glint of red rings on their fingers? Though how he could actually have seen their color at that distance he didn't know. Surely he was imagining it? But it wasn't long before he decided he couldn't let it go. He made a call to Daniel Jackson, but he didn't pick up. He called Samantha Carter, who also failed to pick up. He didn't have Stefan Davidson's phone number.

Teal'c was armed and wore a bullet-proof vest. He also wore the same dark glasses he'd worn on his planetary investigation, and the special weapons and devices belt he'd worn then too. He headed towards the First Class cabin.

o - o - o - o - o

Meanwhile, within a minute after boarding the train, the five men spotted by Teal'c had already entered the First Class cabin. There were seven people in the cabin: Daniel, Sam, Stefan, two other men and two other women. Their leader sent a man into the engineer's cabin in the locomotive in front; the others announced their arrival in First Class by pulling their guns.

Their leader told his men, "Confiscar sus celulares!", which meant, "Confiscate their cell phones," and next, "Handcuff them," alternating between Spanish and English. That done, he said, "My name is Guerrero. We are special operatives for _rosa en rosa_ – I'm sure you've heard of us."

No one in the room made a sound. But just then someone opened the door ... it was two young women who'd left the car earlier, now returning. The women screamed when they saw their guns so Guerrero's men immediately pounced on them, yelling "Silencio! Silencio!" But the women were shocked and screaming so Guerrero's men muffled them by gagging their mouths, then handcuffed them like the others, before pushing them down hard into their seats.

Guerrero spat out, "Damn it, lock that door!" And then, "Let's get down to business. Who is Dr. Daniel Jackson? Will Dr. Jackson raise his hand?"

Daniel didn't respond, not sure what volunteering would accomplish.

Guerrero tried again: "No one here is Dr. Jackson?" Guerrero moved and stood in front of one of the women who'd just entered, the woman still shook up from the unwelcoming welcome she received on entering – and whacked her hard across the face with the back of his hand, the kind of blow that made each and every one of them wince, the woman's nose now bleeding, clearly hurt bad.

Daniel raised his hand-cuffed hand.

"That's better. We appreciate your cooperation. And who is Dr. Samantha Carter?"

Sam raised her hand.

"And Dr. Stefan Davidson?"

Eyes down on the floor, his body quivering, Stefan hesitantly raised his hand.

Guerrero: "Our business is with you three only – everyone else in this room will be free to go when we get off the train. Let me explain how it will work."

Guerrero stepped to one side of the cabin to face them all, and told them, "I have a man inside with the engineer. When I give the signal, the train will make an unscheduled stop, and you three will accompany me off the train."

He looked for their reactions.

"Of course, you want to know where we're planning to take you. You'll accompany us to our research facility, where we have a need for those with medical expertise. In fact, I'm pleased to inform you that our facility will be your new home, at least for the next few years."

Guerrero looking, still no objections from them. But he knew it wouldn't be long. He continued, "Although you won't have the freedom you're used to, there are many advantages, such as free room and board, sufficient and reasonably good food, all the reading materials you require, internet access – supervised, of course. In short, everything except contact with the outside world. Questions?"

Still, no one said anything.

"You must also be wondering, what will happen to you when_ rosa en rosa_ no longer needs your services? Well, let's cross that bridge when we come to it, shall we? It's hard to think that far ahead, with so much going on in the world these days, isn't it?"

Daniel finally spoke up, "None of us are medical doctors. Perhaps there's been a mistake – there's no kind of research we'd be able to do that would ..."

Guerrero cut him off: "I have my orders, which is to bring the three of you to our facility. Whether you cooperate and come willingly or not, will ultimately make no difference."

Daniel: "And if we won't go?"

Guerrero: "We have methods, proven methods, for increasing a person's cooperation. Now, time after time these methods have stood the test, producing great success." Guerrero walked over to Stefan and stood in front of him, Stefan cowering and trembling and keeping his eyes on the floor. Guerrero pulled a knife from his belt and called, "José ," hold him firm!" José and another man grabbed Stefan and held him steady.

Guerrero: "I have a little demonstration planned, for your benefit – your long-term benefit." He moved the blade toward Stefan's ear and said, "In the short run it means Dr. Davidson loses an ear, but the loss of an ear will in no way hamper his ability to further the research we expect him to perform. So, you see, your group gets a demonstration, and perhaps learns a lesson, while Dr. Davidson only loses an ear ... not a bad trade-off, you agree?"

Guerrero tracing lines with the blade on Stefan's left ear, Stefan squirming and yelling "No, no, please!" – Guerrero slicing into Stefan's ear but not taking it off, blood trickling on the floor but the cut wasn't deep, Stefan screaming and Guerrero looking back at all of them with a malicious, evil smile, and telling them, "I'll let him off, this time, but I assure you I won't hesitate to cut it off, or to cut out someone's tongue, if your cooperation is not forthcoming."

Guerrero waved and his men let Stefan loose, as he slumped to the floor, woozy, almost knocked out with fear.

o - o - o - o - o

Teal'c, meanwhile, pressed himself flat against the wall outside the First Class cabin, unseen but able to see through the clear, plexiglass door, peeking through from the side, able to see the men holding the whole group at gunpoint, and the knife cutting Stefan's ear, and Stefan bleeding. He knew the door was locked – a red electronic light was lit. But he saw only four men in the cabin and guessed they had a man inside the locomotive with the engineer, and, if so, then the door from that side into First Class might be open.

He edged his way back beyond their view, went back one car, got outside and climbed up the service ladder to the top of the car; he planned to get to the locomotive by going _over_ the First Class car. He got on his belly, shimmying over the top of the car, moving as silently as possible but wasting no time.

Teal'c rather nimble for someone over one hundred twenty years old – over one hundred sixty, if his fifty years in the time dilation field be included. He heard the train whistle blow, loud and long. From above he peered through the window – there he was, a man with a _rosa en rosa_ ring on his finger, holding the engineer at gunpoint.

Now carefully making his way down the service ladder, then slowly, quietly opening the locomotive cab door, the silencer already set on his gun. The man had his back to him, Teal'c came up from behind and whispered, "Drop it!" The man dropped to his knee, turned and tried to take a shot, but never got it off – Teal'c had him beat, easily. One down, four to go.

Teal'c was sure the engineer knew the man was _rosa en rosa_. He told him, "When I give the signal, I want you to slam the brakes on, hard. Do not wreck the train, but make it hard enough to shake people up. You understand?"

The engineer was grateful to be free and said, "I understand. Anything you want, Mister," as he waited for Teal'c's signal.

Teal'c flat against the wall near the door, waiting to enter the car. He gave the engineer the signal and the train immediately lurched hard! ... people everywhere on the train getting yanked from their seats, sprawling like crazy! Almost simultaneously, Teal'c pulled the door open, quickly slid inside ... and started blasting.

Teal'c got three of them. But Guerrero dropped down behind cover and that's when Teal'c took a round to the chest – which didn't stop Teal'c, benefitting from the armored vest he wore. Guerrero now grabbed a hostage, the closest woman at hand, using her as a shield, slowly moving backwards, pulling his hostage with him as he made his way towards the door. The train was slowing down as it pulled into Hendaye. Guerrero backed out through the First Class car door still dragging the hostage and yelling, "You'll _pay_ for this! You'll _all_ pay for this!" – then pushed her aside and jumped off the train.


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

**August 18, 2023. Fatima, Portugal.** Fatima was even worse than Lourdes, with bigger crowds and even more chaos. But Daniel's team had no time to rest or recover from their skirmish with _rosa en rosa_, because another apparition had been sighted. Daniel told them, "There's a big crowd gathering on the outskirts of town. Let's get over there ASAP."

A sloping field with woods on all sides near the town's boundary was already packed with a huge crowd when they got there.

Stefan: "There must be twenty thousand people here!"

Daniel: "Probably more. I'm guessing ... thirty or forty thousand."

They went wading in to the crowd, trying to elbow their way towards the front. They heard a roar from the crowd, everybody looking up.

And then they saw it.

What appeared as a luminous cloud of light slowly descended from high in the sky, lower and lower, closer and closer until it finally stopped and held a fixed position on the ground.

The apparition was an immense presence. Shimmering light radiated in all directions, but Daniel's team was far back and couldn't see much at that distance. They had to get closer, but it wouldn't be easy with the field so packed with people. They elbowed their way through the crowd, Teal'c wearing his dark glasses and all of them flashing _Wilkerson Foundation _badges, working their way forward and finally reaching the front just as an unusual progression of events began.

First, a silence settled over the crowd, as the apparition revealed itself. The crowd was awe-struck: surely, it was Moses, or perhaps John the Baptist? But one thing was immediately apparent to Daniel, Sam and Teal'c: the apparition was a hologram. Much bigger than they could ever have imagined, but undoubtedly some odd form of hologram.

And another thing: the apparition wasn't Moses or John the Baptist. Daniel asked, "Teal'c, you recognize him?"

Teal'c: "I do, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel: "Sam, you see who it is?"

Sam: "Yes. It's Merlin! Unbelievable!"

They all recognized him, all but Stefan. Daniel aware that religious people here believed they were seeing Moses, or John the Baptist or other saints of old, but Daniel, Sam and Teal'c knew it was Merlin, otherwise known as Moros, the Ancient who'd left Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy and returned to Earth over ten thousand years ago, the same Merlin who had appeared to SG-1 as a hologram at Avalon under Glastonbury Tor. 

Three people, then three more and three more, apparently felt called to enter the apparition. They all walked forward, stepped into the apparition, and then disappeared.

More people were called to enter – the apparition seemed to be waving them in, as they approached, stepped inside and disappeared. But as others inched closer the crowd in front suddenly surged and lost all control – a group of about fifteen or so broke away and rushed forward, creating chaos, until three men and two women, dressed in hooded white robes, stepped in and restored order. They took charge, waving people in, stopping the line, then waving more people in, acting like _caretakers_.

That's the word Daniel used, thinking out loud while he tried to get a handle on it all, asking, "Do those caretakers represent some religious order?"

Sam asked, "And how can people enter a hologram?"

Stefan asked, "And why no message?"

Sam inched closer, turning on her fractal nonlinear resonance device and aiming it at the apparition. But there was a problem: no power. She aimed it in another direction – the power kicked-in; but when she turned it back on the apparition, it flickered off. Sam thinking aloud, "What the ...?!"

She moved closer and tried her device again – no luck. But now she felt some force tugging on her, _pulling_ her towards the apparition. Again Sam thinking, "What the ...?"

At this point Stefan, Daniel and Teal'c saw Sam drop her device on the ground and walk towards the apparition. Daniel thinking, she's getting too close! Calling "Sam! Sam!" but no response. She seemed locked-in, didn't seem to hear. She looked like she was about to _enter the apparition _... Daniel running after her, and then ... _she_ _stepped_ _inside_! Invisible now, but Daniel reached in at the last second and caught her hand, planting himself outside and pulling but she wouldn't budge, Daniel still yelling, "Sam! Sam!" but still no response, the five caretakers just looking on, not getting involved, and worst of all ... the apparition now dimming and beginning to fade! Daniel struggling to hold on, a tug of war between them with her inside and him outside, though he couldn't see her, the apparition now fading away, time slipping away, and there's no way of knowing what would've happened to Sam – if Teal'c hadn't got there in time and yanked Daniel's arm so hard it almost dislocated Daniel's shoulder. But it worked – Sam was out.

A mere two seconds later, the apparition was gone. Like a light going out, the apparition dimmed and faded until it completely disappeared, and no sign of the people who went in.

Daniel's shoulder was fine but Sam looked exhausted. Daniel and Stefan heard her mumble some words that seemed to come out backwards ... and then she blacked-out.

o - o - o - o – o

An hour later, Daniel was on the phone with the foundation's sponsor, Wilkerson. Daniel told him, "After we got her out of the apparition, she blacked-out. She's come out of it and gone unconscious again several times in the last hour, but when she comes out of it, well, sometimes she's talking backwards, and other times she's talking in rhymes."

Wilkerson: "Not good, not good at all. But her vital signs are O.K.?"

Daniel: "Yes, the doctor told us that physically, she's perfectly O.K. We just don't know what's going on psychologically."

Wilkerson: "Well, keep me informed of any changes. But there's another angle in play that I want to run by you: There's been a new apparition sighting."

Daniel: "Really?"

"Yeah, this time in Jerusalem." Wilkerson described what he knew and went through some of the ramifications and possibilities and wherefores and howevers and if-this-then-that and if-that-then-this, regarding what he wanted Daniel to do, and what he called the "best case and worst case scenarios," depending upon how quickly Sam would recover.

By the time the phone call ended, Daniel wasn't the slightest bit happy. Stefan came in and Daniel updated him on what Wilkerson had told him. Daniel told Stefan, "Wilkerson wants us to drop everything here in Fatima and head to Jerusalem. He wants me to decide if Sam's 'reasonably fit' to travel. If she is, then we'll all leave tomorrow morning; if she's not ready, we're still supposed to leave, but we'd have to leave Sam here until she's stronger or put her on a plane back to the U.S."

Minutes later, Daniel got another call. It was Jack O'Neill. Somehow, Jack knew Daniel might be going to Jerusalem, and asked, "Daniel, how well do you know the cave and tunnel system under Jerusalem? I remember you telling me you'd been in there."

Daniel: "I've been through a good portion of it, but that was a thousand years ago when I was a graduate student at UCLA. But the tunnel system's closed to the public now, you can't get in there."

Jack: "But what if you _could_ get in? Would you know your way around?"

Daniel: "I have a pretty good feel for how it works, yes, but ..." he stopped a moment, remembering the caverns. "You know, Jack, people _get lost_ in there. There's endless passages, it's a labyrinthine network ... I mean, you'd _absolutely_ need a local guide."

Jack said, "I know, I've heard about that too. But with a local guide, could you do it?"

Daniel: "I suppose so. How did you hear I might be going to Jerusalem?"

Jack: "My people in Washington apparently know Wilkerson."

Daniel: "Seems like _everybody_ knows Wilkerson."

Jack: "Yeah, seems like."

Daniel: "But Jack, why would you want to go in there anyway?"

"Oh ... it's complicated. It'd take some time to explain, and I'll be getting on a plane any minute. But I'll call you and we'll hook up in Jerusalem, alright?"

Jack signed-off, Daniel thinking Jack's questions and manner were all rather cryptic; it left him wondering.

Ten minutes later, Teal'c came in and told Daniel: "_Rosa en rosa_ is apparently here in Fatima." Teal'c wanted to make sure Daniel understood the gravity of the situation. He said, "Several men, wearing the distinctive rings associated with _rosa en rosa_, are asking about the whereabouts of three English-speaking 'doctors' who arrived recently on the train from Lourdes."

That was it. Daniel made his decision and told Teal'c and Stefan, "Let's start packing up. We'll be leaving tomorrow morning for Jerusalem."

o - o - o - o - o

Later that night, Stefan came to Daniel's room.

Stefan said, "You know, Dr. Jackson, I wanted to talk confidentially about Dr. Carter." Hesitating a couple of seconds, he then said, "Look, I'll just come out with it. I don't think she's really fit to travel with us to Jerusalem. She's not herself. She's unpredictable. For God's sake, she's _unstable_."

Daniel knew this was true. But he thought she might be making a slow recovery, and there were reasons why it might be better for her to come.

Daniel said, "Let me think about it."

Stefan: "It might be better for her to stay, or return home. It might be _dangerous_ to let her come."

Daniel: "Alright, Stefan, I know what you're talking about – but I'll handle it. Let me sleep on it tonight and I'll make my decision."

Getting ready for bed that night, Daniel had a lot to think about. Sam had regained full consciousness and some strength, and was greatly improved. But she still occasionally lapsed into word-rhymes and odd word order, and wasn't really back to herself. Her _fragility_, as it seemed to Daniel, greatly concerned him.

But he also believed Sam would be disappointed to have to go home now after what they'd been through. Maybe the experience she'd had just needed to work itself out, and maybe the worst thing would be getting sent home, to brood and dwell on it and feel left out?

He wanted to sleep on it; he'd decide in the morning.

o - o - o - o - o

Next morning, Daniel, Stefan, Teal'c and Sam departed by plane for Lisbon, and then on to Jerusalem.


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

**Washington, D.C.** Jack O'Neill wasn't happy about going to Israel. His job with Global Forces International was supposed to be strictly advisory, but they were pushing him to go. To be honest, it was understandable, given the precarious situation there: two armies were positioned opposite each other near Jerusalem and the situation deteriorating very fast. A lot of people saw the conflict as an _Armageddon_ scenario.

He was on his way to Andrews Air Force Base, where he'd board a plane, but Jack had one more important call to make. He made his call and heard his housekeeper answer at the other end.

"Graciella's Home Services," she answered.

"Hola, Graciella."

"Señor O'Neill! Hola, como estas?"

"Muy bien, Graciella, gracias. Listen, I wanted to let you know, it looks like before I come home I'll be making a little side-trip to Israel. I'll be leaving in a few minutes."

"You're going to Israel? Oh, my goodness!" She said some other things in Spanish that he couldn't understand – his Spanish was rudimentary. She reverted back to English, "But señor, I remember you told me you're supposed to be just an advisor, or a trustee, or something like that, _strictly_ _advisory_, you said, right?"

"Yeah, well, you're right, but it seems there's a clause in my contract I overlooked."

"It's because they consider you, how do you say it ... _high-profile_, señor."

"Maybe they think that, but I'm not though, really."

"Yes, yes you are, Señor O'Neill, you're a _celebrity_. You're one of the most famous celebrities in the world."

Jack preferred to brush-off that kind of talk, mumbling, "Oh well, bunch of nonsense anyway ..." letting his words trail off.

Then she asked, "But you have to go because the situation is bad there in Israel?"

"Seems pretty bad, but we'll see. And I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Do you want me to look in on your house while you're gone, señor, and check up on things for you?

"Si, Graciella, I was hoping you wouldn't mind. The spare key's in the usual place."

"Bien, Señor O'Neill, that'll be fine. What about your dog, Blue?"

"My friend George, my bowling buddy, he took him for me before I left. So Blue's gonna be fine with him until I get back."

"Bien, señor. I'll take care of everything at your house, don't worry about anything here."

"Gracias, Graciella, I've gotta go. Hasta luego."

"Hasta luego, Señor O'Neill. I hope everything will go O.K. Adios."

"Gracias, Graciella, adios."

Jack thinking, what a mistake signing with Global turned out to be. A Global Forces drone disappeared over Israeli airspace – not found crashed somewhere, just gone. They took the last-known radar coordinates and the projected course for the drone, calculated that information and came up with a location in the air space over Jerusalem. More specifically, over the Muslim Quarter.

And that wasn't all, as Jack reviewed the whole thing in his mind. The information pointed to the most likely location, and it was _underground_. Geez. Jack trying to process that information, trying to picture Jerusalem's underground cave and tunnel system as it applied to the Muslim Quarter.

He'd arrived at Andrews Air Force Base. He was looking forward, at least, to seeing Daniel again.

o - o - o - o - o

Nikki and Fred were on their way to Ron's funeral, Nikki driving. He could see she was speeding up, and when Fred saw the speedometer hit ninety-five he asked, "What the hell are you doing?!"

Nikki: "Nothin'."

She eased it back down, but her mind was elsewhere. She'd been thinking of a time with Ron, years ago, when she was thirteen. Ron was the friend she'd known since childhood, who'd died recently. Someone she'd known since she was thirteen years old. He'd owned a bookstore on Figueroa Street, and though he was so much older they became friends. She hung out at his store a lot, starting from around that time, when she turned thirteen.

Ron was the only one she'd ever confided in with her secrets. She told him everything – about her recurring dream, about the feeling of "recognition" she sometimes experienced, about how much these things scared her.

She remembered Ron asking her to tell him her dream. She'd told him, "It's always the same. I'm in some ancient place, maybe Egypt, but I'm at the airport, which is just a ... an ordinary, modern airport. It's not time to board the plane yet, I'm waiting in the gate area and there's thirty-six of us waiting to board, when I hear over the airport loudspeaker, _Will the woman who lost her daughter please report to Gate 36_. And they repeat that a couple of times, and then the next thing is it's like I'm sitting in meditation, or something, inwardly chanting my mantra, "_Look within, awaken, rise, Look within, awaken, rise,_ over and over,_ Look within, awaken, rise_. I keep trying to wake up but I can't, so I remember my mission and try to refocus on my mantra and wake up, and I'm struggling with that until finally, I wake up."

Ron: "What do you make of it?"

Nikki: "I don't know. If it's supposed to mean something, I don't know what it is, but it leaves me feeling funny, like there's something there I ought to know, but I don't know what it is."

"What do you think it means, in the dream, when you say, _I remember my mission_?"

"I have no idea."

"What about the mantra, _Look within, awaken, rise_ – does that mean anything to you?"

"No."

"What about the number 36, or the reference to a _lost daughter_?"

"No idea. But I remember you telling me about the 36 _Lamed Wufniks._"

And she told him also about something else, that happened a couple of times, how she'd been in the company of someone that seemed to trigger getting goosebumps and a tingling feeling. She'd told him, "There's goosebumps and a tingling through my body and it's like something _clicks on_, as if I _recognize_ people or _know things_ I wouldn't have known ... I don't know how to explain it. But it doesn't last long and it _clicks off_ and the experience ends."

"And you don't like it?"

"It's scary. The first time it ever happened it practically scared the livin' daylights out of me. Anyway, it's not _normal_."

"Listen, sweetie, I think there's more involved here than you or I can understand right now. You're so young ... and I don't really know about these things either, beyond what I've read in books. We ought to find you a teacher. A guru or something."

"Oh, I don't know. I just want to be normal."

"You should tell your mother. Or your father."

"I don't think so. It's too weird. I don't want to tell anybody."

Ron said, "I have a feeling that somehow you're meant to play some special role. Like the universe has some bit of immortality planned for you, you know?"

Nikki said doubtfully, "Thanks, Ron. I guess."

o - o - o - o - o

On the way back from the funeral, Nikki driving again, taking a scenic route home Nikki knew, through the Twenty-Nine Palms area. They were in the desert on Rt. 62, between Needles and L.A. in the late afternoon, the road mostly straight and empty.

Fred couldn't help being mildly irritated. "Nikki, will you _please_ slow down?!"

"Oh relax," Nikki not paying him much attention, checking the speedometer, "I'm only going twenty over."

Fred: "You know, one more ticket and you just might lose your license."

"I'm not gonna lose my license."

"You might."

"I won't."

Fred, irritated, "For God's sake, Nikki, I'm asking you as a special favor, _please_ _slow_ _down_!"

When she didn't slow down Fred started to say something more but they got quiet as they came around a bend to a breath-taking vista, seeing dark storm clouds coming in over a wide plain and then, what really got their attention, three or four big birds far off in the distance. Nikki wondering, were they eagles? They seemed really far away, maybe half a mile, maybe more. The birds circling out there in the hot, still air, just floating above the silent desert.

"O.K., O.K, I'm slowing down, see?" She pulled over. "Are those eagles ... or vultures?"

"Not sure. Seems far away." Both of them gazing out there. "They must be awfully big, if we can see them at this distance."

The car was still running, the two of them still sitting inside. But they couldn't see why the birds were circling.

Nikki: "See anything?

Fred: "No. They must see something on the ground – but I don't know what."

They got out of the car for a minute, looking, looking, but couldn't see anything on the ground, then getting back in and back on the road. They drove for a while, just listening to the radio. Fred thinking, he always knew Nikki would be a handful, that it wouldn't be easy, ever since he found out who her father was, which was soon after he met her. And it didn't seem to be getting any easier. But he really did care about her and felt completely committed.

Nikki thinking about how sometimes, lately, she felt like she was gonna explode, like things were building up and when the explosion came she hoped it didn't knock her down. But what it was all about she didn't know. There was a lot she was trying to figure out.

She had a bottle of water on the back seat and she asked Freddie to get it for her. She took a little swig, then a bigger one. She said, "I wish the speed limits were higher."

"You mean here, or everywhere?"

"Everywhere."

"School zones too?"

Nikki, making a face, "Of course not the school zones, you dope." She knew he was teasing.

Fred brought up another subject he'd been trying to broach. "So, have you thought anymore about setting a date?"

"I'm not ready to think about it."

"Why not?"

"I have my mind on other things."

"Yeah, I know that, but isn't this important too? You said you were going to think about it."

"Yeah, but I meant, I'll _think_ about it. Freddie, I'm not sure I _want_ to set a date, because ..."

"Because why?"

When she didn't answer, he said, "Look, we're living together but I can't settle in, because nothing's settled. And nothing's moving forward, either ..." as he let his words drift off.

He wished Nikki would calm down, settle down, set a date. He was four years older than she was, he was ready and not getting any younger and it wasn't just that he "couldn't settle in," it seemed like things were getting even more unsettled. He'd tried to talk to her but got nowhere. It was starting to feel like she was shutting down to him, but he didn't know why.

They were driving southwest towards L.A., just listening to the radio, passing Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley and Palm Springs, each mostly keeping to their own thoughts. Driving past Banning into Riverside, Nikki said, "They could have been condors."

"What?" Not really hearing what she said.

"The birds – they could have been condors."

"Oh. Yeah, could've been."

o - o - o - o - o

At home in their Westwood apartment that evening, Nikki and Fred were in the living room when she decided to tell him. She hesitated, walking out of the living room and into the kitchen. He followed her, because she'd said she wanted to tell him something. She opened the fridge, stood looking in, then turned back facing him.

Nikki said, "I want to go see my father."

"What? In Fatima? Are you serious?"

"Yep. I'm planning to go."

"But he's busy there with his research – it doesn't seem like a very good time, you know?"

"I don't care, I just want to see him."

"Did he say it was O.K.?"

"He doesn't know. I'm planning to surprise him."

"Oh, Nikki," shaking his head, "I don't know if that's such a good idea." Looking at her with concern mixed with disbelief, "Do you even know for sure he's still in Fatima?"

"Last time I talked to him he was still there. Don't worry, I'll find him."

"Yeah, but ..." then giving up on that, as he thought for a minute then asked, "Well look, what about what I've been trying to ask you, what about our plans?"

"Freddie, I'm not ready to set a date. In fact, let me put it this way – I think we should take a break ... you know, from each other. I mean, for a little while."

"Take a break?" Exasperated, frustrated. "How do you know I'll want to keep waiting for you?"

She didn't answer.

Fred looking up at the ceiling, then back at her, thinking hard, then said: "I'm concerned about you, Nikki."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, everybody's concerned about poor Nikki."

"You know I am."

Nikki was sipping a drink she'd pulled from the fridge; decided she wanted to tell him a story. "Did you ever hear the story about the _Lamed Wufniks?_"

"_Lamed Wufniks?_"

"Yeah. It's Yiddish, it's pronounced _Lahmed Vuvniks._ Ron told me the story, years ago, but I'd forgotten about it for a long time. So, anyway, there's this story, according to the Jewish sages, that in every generation there's exactly 36 men, or let's say 36 _men or women_, who are important because they're righteous and the world needs these 36 righteous beings at all times or everything would come to an end. They kind of hold the world up. If even one of them dies or somehow goes missing in action, that's it, we're done for. But nobody knows who they are because it's a secret and if anybody suspects who any of them are, then the one who's been recognized dies and somebody else takes his place. That's how the story goes."

Fred: "So ... what does that have to do with anything?"

Nikki: "Probably nothing. It's just something I've been thinking about because Ron told it to me, and I've been thinking about him lately."

"Something _Ron_ told you." Trying to be patient but feeling slightly exasperated, letting out a sigh. "Dwelling on Ron isn't good for you, because ..."

"No," Nikki interrupted, "forget it. Forget I even mentioned it." She was about to put her drink back in the fridge, then changed her mind. "The problem is, you don't really understand me."

Fred: "I'm trying. I'm always ready to talk."

Nikki: "You're always ready to talk, but you're never ready to _listen_."

She looked at him, wanting to communicate but believing he didn't go far enough, _wouldn't_ go far enough to really understand. He was too _normal_. Of course, that wasn't his fault. She said, "Look, it's not your fault that you're not on my wave-length, but you're not helping, either."

She took her drink and walked into the living room, sitting down on the sofa. He followed her. She said, "You know, Freddie, I'll tell you something else. Someone once asked me, _How does it feel to be the daughter of a famous scientist?_"

"And you said?"

"I said,_ I feel the same. The same as before I was adopted. I feel alone._"

Fred said, "You know that's not really true though. Why do you _say_ things like that?"

"Because it's true. Because I _am_ alone. We _all_ are, we just don't admit it. Like castaways or vagabond children of the universe or something, I don't know. Like we just hide the truth, delude ourselves."

She got up and walked outside to the porch, where she could sit on the swing and smoke a cigarette. She knew he wouldn't follow her.

She was thinking about what she'd just told him. The one who asked her that, about how did it feel being the daughter of a famous scientist, was a doctor, the woman M.D. at the hospital when she had that blackout last May. Her thoughts flashed back to that time, three or so months ago, to Los Angeles General Hospital. She was about to be released, she was talking with Dr. Tractenberg.

Dr. Tractenberg: "I don't see any reason to keep you here. Is your father here in Los Angeles, or you have other family in the area to look after you?"

Nikki: "I live with my boyfriend."

Dr. Tractenberg: "I've met him – he seems nice."

"He's O.K. I mean, he's a good guy."

"Any issues between the two of you?"

Nikki shrugged her shoulders. "He means well." Frowning, "I don't know. I just don't know if we're going in the same direction right now."

"Does he know you feel this way?"

"Oh, he knows everything. Typical know-it-all. When I try to talk to him he doesn't listen. I mean, don't misunderstand, I care about Freddie. A lot. A real lot. But he has his own agenda, I'm like a _project_ to him."

Dr. Tractenberg: "He's been here at the hospital every day – could what you're saying be a little unfair?"

She didn't respond.

Dr. Tractenberg waited and then asked, "Do you want to say a little more?

"Not right now."

"Any plans to visit your father?"

"No, not for a while."

"Because of having to fly? Because of the blackouts?"

"Yeah. It's not so good if it happens on a plane. They make a fuss."

Dr. Tractenberg, looking through her papers: "All your tests came back negative. No basis for a narcoleptic origin; nothing viral either. Vital signs normal, reflexes normal. But your unresponsiveness during these incidents appears more like a coma than a vegetative state."

"I never knew the difference."

"People in a coma have their eyes closed, while people in a vegetative state have their eyes open. In a true vegetative state, blood pressure, respiration and cardiac function are maintained but there's no cognitive function. In your case, when _you're_ unresponsive, your brain waves show _greater_ _than normal_ activity. It's highly unusual, to say the least. Another thing: during certain periods your eyes open, but remain non-reactive. That's not a _medical_ _impossibility_, but it's still very hard to understand. At this point, with the cause still unknown, we want to look for a psychosomatic connection."

Yeah, Nikki thought, a _psychosomatic_ connection. But when she herself tried to supply the connection, nobody wanted to hear it. Except Ron. But everybody else – the doctor, Freddie – nobody wanted to listen to her own explanation and take it seriously. So she gave up.

She believed she'd lived past lives, and they were back to haunt her.

She intended to go see her father. She wasn't going to call first and tell him – because he might say no. She was already making plans.


	7. Chapter 7

**7**

**August 20, 2023. Jerusalem. **

Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan were not what they seemed. These odd but hugely popular religious leaders, wielding considerable influence in Jerusalem, were much in the news lately, proposing a "Formula For Peace" for the Middle-East. But "the Maghavs" led secret lives unknown to the general populace.

Quite some time ago, Maghav Rek'iel sent one of their apprentice- protégés to P2Q-463, Vyus, and another to P3X-974, Cimmeria. Maghav Mar'tan sent a protégé to P5C-768, Edora, and one to P2S-416, Langara. Others were sent to Orban, and to Pangaria, and to P2A-509, P26-007, P3C-117 and P3K-447 – all at an earlier time, when Earth's Stargate Program had been active.

To five favored protégés, three men and two women, they gave special assignments here on Earth. From Jerusalem, Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan sent them forth, like modern-day apostles, to teach, find converts and enlist recruits.

The teachings of Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan revealed secret doctrines involving the after-life, rebirth and a little-known process called _ascension_. Maghav Rek'iel told his devotees: "We offer much more than rejuvenation; we offer the gift of rebirth."

Rek'iel always watched their reactions, looking for those who had potential. He told them: "You shall grow your own bodies."

The Maghavs Rek'iel and Mar'tan possessed exceptional insight into the strange phenomena experienced in the past year on Earth, and on so many other planets; such phenomena might be the result of an imbalance in the world-grid. The existence of the world-grid, composed of etheric energy, was unknown to human scientists – though well-known to many ascended beings.

But Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Rek'iel were neither ordinary humans nor _ordinary_ ascended beings; through an artificial process developed by Rek'iel, they attained an ascended fusion state. They were _ascended-in-the-flesh_. Their five newly-ascended apprentice-protégés were, likewise, _ascended-in-the-flesh_.

Though their supernatural powers were limited, they were capable of making themselves invisible for short periods, a useful power enabling them to go discretely through the Stargate. The Maghavs sent their protégés through the Stargate to fine tune their experiments on other planets – the same experiments responsible for the sequence of strange phenomena. But this became a problem now that the Stargate was rarely open.

As Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan walked in the Muslim Quarter on Burj Laqaq Street, Mar'tan's cell phone buzzed. Beings who were _ascended-in-the-flesh_ were not telepathic – at least not at long distance.

Mar'tan took the call. "A problem?" Rek'iel heard Mar'tan say, "What kind of problem?" Mar'tan listened, then said, "What? Oh my goodness. That's not good. Oh my. Oh my." His expression quite grave. Rek'iel heard him say, "That's correct, you should stay there. Correct. Yes, I'll tell Maghav Rek'iel."

Mar'tan had strange and unusual news to report. "There's a problem at our headquarters. Three Level 9 _defectives_ got loose."

Rek'iel's face darkening, "What do you mean, they _got loose?_"

Mar'tan: "Apparently, they got _excitable_. They escaped. He's guessing they're somewhere in the southeast central tunnel."

Rek'iel, exasperated, "How could this happen?!"

Mar'tan had no good answers, and looked away.

To accomplish _ascension-in-the-flesh _required an artificial process, taking etheric energy from the world-grid. However, in the early days, Rek'iel's experimental attempts produced seventeen casualties, which they kept housed at Level 9 in their headquarters under the Temple Mount. They referred to these creatures as _the_ _defectives_.

They were winged creatures, with webbed feet, sharp claws and semi-human brains. Each of them slightly different, spit dribbling from some of their owl-like mouths, able to think but trapped in a nightmarish world like tortured animals.

Mar'tan: "With the tunnels closed to the public, nobody will ever come in contact with them. But even if someone got in there, nobody would see them, considering their invisibility."

Rek'iel: "They're visible, if you look hard enough."

Most humans could barely see the Level 9 defectives. Their skin color and even their shape changed constantly to match their surroundings; most people would barely see them, and even then only as faint, vague forms or shadowy phantoms.

Rek'iel: "Let's get over there." As they changed directions, he added, "Thank our lucky stars for the tunnels. Let's just hope they don't find their way out, into the city."

o - o - o - o - o

For Jack and Daniel, Jerusalem was a frantic battle zone. Snipers firing from roof tops, street battles, ambulance and fire truck sirens blaring at all hours, day and night. Two opposing armies were pointing guns at each other, one situated east and the other west of the city. As it happened, Jack and Daniel were also walking in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City; Jack's attaché, Major Johnson, and Daniel's team, were back at their hotel.

As they walked on Burj Laqaq Street nearing El-Ghazahi Square, they had no idea they'd passed right by "the Maghavs." They had no idea how many questions those men could answer, if they caught them and could make them tell. But knowing nothing of that, Jack talked of getting the Stargate open; he told Daniel he'd gotten a promise from the Stargate Administration to open the Stargate, soon. Jack said, "They want all four of us back in Colorado once my investigation here in Jerusalem is finished. Which I hope is really, really soon."

Daniel gave Jack an update on Sam, telling him, "I'd say she's at ninety percent. She's improving every day."

Jack asked, "Did she say why she went into that apparition?"

Daniel: "She said she felt _drawn_ into it, that it was involuntary. She said she felt like she was outside herself, watching herself, with no control over her movements. She said she tried calling out to us ... but all that came out was a squeak."

They discussed Jack's plan to enter Jerusalem's underground tunnels; Daniel wanted to join him, and said he knew a local guide. They discussed the strange phenomena on other planets and speculated about the apparition. Jack had also heard about the Maghavs. He asked, "Do you know anything about these _Maghavs,_ or whatever they call themselves? They've proposed a peace plan, a _Formula For Peace_ they call it."

Daniel: "Yeah, I heard that. They've got a huge following here. But you can't help feeling ... you can't help feeling ..." Daniel heard his phone buzz. "Hold on, Jack."

He picked-up and answered, "Hello?"

It was Nikki. "Dad, it's me."

"Nikki! How are you?"

"I'm O.K. I came to see you."

"What's that?" Not sure he heard her right. "Where _are_ you?"

"I'm in Fatima. Great, huh?"

"Yeah, great, but ... you're in _Fatima?_"

"Yeah. I came looking for you."

Daniel was surprised but then again, knowing her, not altogether surprised. They talked for a while, making plans for her to get the next plane to Jerusalem.


	8. Chapter 8

**8**

**August 22, Jerusalem. **

Her father was running too and he looked over his shoulder and yelled, "Faster, Nikki!" They were running for their lives, monstrous creatures chasing them in the tunnels and Nikki getting winded, gasping for air and her legs getting heavy and she knew she'd have to stop soon. All of them still running and no time to look back, the monsters gaining on them, but just before all this Nikki remembered telling her father, "I know the Maghav. I know who he is."

Running ahead, her father yelled back, "Forget all that, just keep running!"

She was sweating like crazy, it was hard to keep up. One of the creatures reached for her as she ran, getting close, almost touching her ... then she saw it stop dead and throw-up slime, gushing uncontrollably as if it were sick. She stopped too, looking back, wishing it were a dream she could wake up from.

Her father yelled, "Nikki, come on!"

She was still standing there looking and wondering why the creature was sick but her father yelled again, "Nikki, you can't stop here, come on!"

Nikki heard her cell phone go off but there was no time to answer it and now Samantha leaned in to her as they ran and said something she couldn't hear. Nikki asked, "What'd ya say?"

Samantha asked, "Are these _caged beasts_ friends of yours?"

Nikki answered, "Ya mean _cagey beasts_? No, not that I know of." Wondering why Samantha would even ask such a thing? But there wasn't time to stop and try to figure it out.

Nikki still running, trying to push herself but she couldn't run any further and she stopped. Looking back, she didn't see anything, still looking, her cell phone buzzing again and again and she tried to ignore it until finally ... she woke up, realizing she was safe and sound in her hotel room in Jerusalem. The dream faded away as she got up and took the call – it was her father, asking, "Are you coming down to breakfast? Everybody's here." He reminded her the tunnel guide was coming to meet them all this morning.

o - o - o - o - o

Daniel and his team and Jack O'Neill and his attaché, Major Johnson, all arrived on August 20th; Nikki arrived on the 21st, and now on the morning of the 22nd the whole group was gathered in Daniel's hotel suite. Sam said she had reason to believe her resonance detection device might help him find the drone. She said, "Although the portable device I have with me has only a fraction of the power of what we're using in Colorado, it works on the same principle. I'm optimistic."

Jack said, "One way or another, I'm not gonna be satisfied unless I get in there and get a chance to explore the tunnel system, especially under the Muslim Quarter. I might not find the drone, but I might find some kind of clue."

Daniel asked, "You talked to the Department of Antiquities about going in?"

Jack: "Yeah, a couple of days and the clearance should be ready. Maximum ten in my group, they told me. We could all go."

So it was Jack's idea, but nobody really needed much persuading. Nikki had already made it known she refused to stay behind, and Daniel said he'd found a local guide, and with Jack's attaché from Global Forces with him that made a group of eight, all of them now just passing the time inside their hotel rooms, waiting for the clearance and watching the news on television. 

The city was in disarray – a suicide bomber yesterday, never-ending sporadic gunfire, a neighborhood in flames billowing smoke. They were in Daniel's room watching on the morning of August 23rd when the BBC news reporter made an announcement:

"_Maghav Rek'iel's _'_Peace Formula_'_ was accepted today by all major parties, with accolades coming from all quarters. Spokespeople for the Israeli government, Global Forces International and the two opposing armies have all stated their willingness to abide by the agreement, and, though questions exist as to whether all unaligned groups will comply and stand down, a quiet optimism pervades the Middle-East tonight."_

The news showed Maghav Rek'iel accepting a U.N. Peacekeeping Award and afterwards it seemed as if the Maghav was everywhere at once: in the neighborhoods of Modern Jerusalem and in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, in the West Bank and in Gaza.

Seeing him on television Nikki felt goosebumps and a tingling sensation and said, "That's the reason I'm here, I think."

Daniel: "What do you mean?"

Nikki: "Well, I'm gonna tell you but now's not good." It was gonna be hard enough telling her father without having to go into it here and now with a room full of people. But later when she had a chance she put it off, and the talk she planned got lost in the shuffle.

o - o - o - o - o

On the morning of August 25th Jack's clearance came through and they were finally going underground. One hundred yards north of Damascus Gate, Jack presented his pass to the Israeli security post outside, took the badge they gave him to wear, clipped it on his shirt, then all of them stooping to enter at the base of the wall. It was the entrance to the cave known as Solomon's Quarries. Going inside, everything dark except for what light they brought with them.

Their tunnel guide, Edwin Reed, told them, "Normally this whole system would be lighted, they used to bring tourist groups in here until a couple of years ago."

Jack: "That's why I had to wait for the clearance. They shut everything down after a suicide bomber blew himself up along with a dozen tourists down here."

Carrying flashlights and extra batteries and high-tech lanterns, which lit things up pretty good, the group stood inside taking in the immense dimensions of the vault, everyone impressed and amazed. Nikki said, "Wow!"

Sam and Jack too, "Wow!"

"Yeah," Daniel said as they stood looking, "this cave and the whole tunnel system got buried in the days of the Romans and wasn't rediscovered until 1854." Daniel had been here once before but was pretty impressed himself, too. He told them, "Jewish tradition has it the Ark of the Covenant was buried somewhere inside here."

The tunnel guide made some remarks too, an American by the name of Edwin Reed who'd lived in Jerusalem for a number of years. The group eventually left the cave, descending in a southwesterly direction through tunnels and passages leading to lower and lower depths, some huffing and puffing when they faced some hard climbing over huge chunks of rock apparently shaken down from the roof.

Sam not a hundred percent, walking a bit slowly, Stefan already starting up: "You do realize, Dr. Carter, that you're slowing us down?" Nikki, walking along-side her, found him annoying. They saw water trickling down the walls producing small pools in some places, and now they came to a large open space with deep pits barricaded by ropes.

Nikki: "So that's where they did the mining?"

Edwin Reed: "Yes, that rock is white limestone, good for building. You see these ropes? It took some tourists falling in to get the authorities to rope-off the mining pits."

Sam: "What's above us?"

Reed: "The Wadi Hilweh neighborhood. We're moving in the direction of el-Wad Street. It'll be another hour, I guess, before the crowds above us will be looking into the shops of East Jerusalem, or visiting the Rockefeller Museum.**" **

Sam carried her fractal nonlinear resonance device over her shoulder with a strap, the way soldiers carry rifles. When Reed asked about it, she told him, "I refer to it as a fractal nonlinear resonance detection device, but that's just for short. Actually, it combines a resonance sensor, a seismic sensor, which is used in detecting earthquakes, an electro-magnetic imaging sensor, and a GPR sensor – that is, ground penetrating radar. GPR uses radiation in the microwave band of the spectrum to find signals from subsurface structures by differentiating among dielectric constants."

Sam described a bit more of the device's ability to collect, analyze and synthesize data, but there were also obvious indications that Sam was still not back to a hundred percent, when, as occasionally happened, she would lapse into talking backward. Trying to say a simple thing like, "I'm O.K. with that," sometimes came out as "O.K. I am with that," and similar variations. But no one called attention to it, except Stefan, who began referring to it as "Yoda-speak." Teal'c calmly said, "Pay no attention, Dr. Carter. It is my belief that you are just temporarily _out of phase_."

Meanwhile, they kept on walking, eventually coming to a three-pronged fork. They saw one right and two left tunnels, a center-left and a far left. Reed said, "Somebody must have done some digging since the last time I was here, used to be only one tunnel to the left. But the one we need is the tunnel to the center-left."

Jack: "You sure?"

Reed: "Yeah. Things can change a lot down here, but I'm quite sure we need the center-left passage."

They took the center-left and got going. Jack and his attaché, Major Johnson, were up front, along with Edwin Reed and Daniel. Nikki and Sam were a few steps back of the men, with Teal'c and Stefan bringing up the rear.

_About a half hour after Jack and Daniel's group went underground, a group of tourists approached the security point outside. With no clearance pass, the six men were denied entry. But they were determined to get in, so they made an all-out second effort. They made the Israeli guard an offer they couldn't refuse. _

Inside, Jack and Daniel's group were now walking over some rocky terrain, up a steep ascending grade then descending again, everybody slipping and sliding, but Stefan unfairly putting the focus on Sam and making the remark, "You're awfully clumsy today, Dr. Carter. I suggest you get a grip on yourself."

And later, when they again hit some rough terrain, Sam slipped on some loose gravel and fell down in a heap. She was O.K., Nikki helping her up and brushing her off, but Stefan making a point of saying, "What's _the matter_ with you today, Dr. Carter?" Picking on her, which didn't bother Sam that much but made Nikki mad.

Reed said, "Seems to be taking longer than usual to get to our next fork."

Stefan: "Dr. Carter's slowing us down."

Reed: "No, that's not it. We're making reasonable time, but nonetheless, we should have reached the next fork by now."

Jack: "Maybe we should've taken the far-left tunnel?"

Reed: "No, we took the correct passage. We must have missed a turn. Somebody must have covered it up, which means we're now in a new tunnel. If we don't reach another fork soon, we'll have to go back and look."

Jack looked at Daniel who shrugged his shoulders. The group walking forward a while longer until they hit a dead end, then going back, all eyes on the walls for a covered-up tunnel entrance, searching until, sure enough, just as Reed predicted, they found it.

Reed had a couple of small collapsible shovels in his pack and they took turns working to uncover the opening – getting it open would take some time. Daniel telling them, "Some of these tunnels date back to the Canaanite period, the 18th century B.C. But the Department of Antiquities and the Ministry of Religion compete for new discoveries so there's always new tunnels."

Reed: "Yeah, that's true. But privateers have been known to bribe authorities to get in here too. New tunnels are being dug down here even now that it's closed. People get in, they find a way. It never stops."

Nikki: "Why, what are they looking for?"

Daniel: "Well, despite the claims of scientific research, people are still searching for the Ark of the Covenant, believe it or not, and _the Holy Grail_."

Reed: "Or buried treasure."

Jack: "Yeah, I guess there's hundreds of hidden treasure stories. I've heard some of 'em."

Jack and Edwin Reed and Daniel traded stories while they all worked on the opening, everybody pitching in until they got the passage uncovered. They got it open and got back to their trek, Nikki and Sam walking together, as Nikki asked Sam to explain more about her device. Nikki asked, "Samantha, what does that mean – _fractal nonlinear resonance_?"

Sam answered, "In nonlinear resonance the frequencies and modes depend on the amplitude of the oscillations, whereas linear systems have frequencies and modes that are independent of amplitude." Sam explained how her research group in Colorado was using wave turbulence theory to study "dispersal functions among resonance clusters, in a way that isolates non-intersecting resonance clusters, in order to study each cluster independently."

Nikki did her best to follow along. She asked, "What could you use this technology for, when it's fully developed?"

Sam answered, "Well, believe it or not, doctors are already using fractal analysis as a tool to quantify complex patterns in neurology. But they'll be lots of other applications to come, I'm sure of that."

Stefan needling Sam, "Why don't you turn that device on yourself – maybe it'll analyze what's wrong with you?" 

Nikki made a face but Sam said to ignore him. They'd been walking for quite a while when they reached another three-prong fork, and Reed said, "God damn it, something seems different."

Jack: "What's wrong?"

Reed: "I've never seen a tunnel here to the right. You never expect anything new this far in."

Jack thinking, well, if they took the new, unexplored tunnel, then it was game-over for being able to depend on the guide. On the other hand, the drone could be anywhere. Jack asked Reed, "What do you think – shall we try the new tunnel?"

Reed: "We could get lost. It could easily happen." Thinking it over, then said, "I don't mean _really lost_, like not finding our way out, but just that we could get turned-around somehow and end-up losing a lot of time that way."

Jack: "O.K. then, which way?"

Reed: "Straight. Straight ahead."

They got going, both Daniel and Edwin Reed keeping track of their movements in small notebooks. Unbeknownst to the others, Teal'c every so often using a marking pen to mark his initials on the wall, just another safety measure in case they needed it to find their way back out, because the tunnels really were labyrinthine. Time passed, seemed like they were walking for hours. What with the late summer heat, everybody was sweating and probably thinking it was taking longer than they'd have thought.

_The tourist group outside that tried to enter the tunnels without a clearance was no tourist group, and all six of them were heavily armed. The Israeli security team was quickly overpowered. Blood flowed everywhere, splattering the walls, flowing on the floor, oozing out the door._

_The group donned Israeli uniforms, posted two men to remain behind while the other four men entered Solomon's Quarries, bent on trailing Jack and Daniel's group. They all wore the distinctive rings worn by rosa en rosa. They had only one objective: revenge._

Sam and Nikki had been talking and getting to know each other and at one point Sam asked Nikki, "You just graduated?

"Yeah."

"What was your major?"

"Anthropology."

"Same as your father?"

"Yeah, but I don't know a thousand languages, like he does."

Sam decided not to pursue that subject. Instead, she asked, "Is there a boyfriend?"

"Kind of."

"Kind of? You mean ..."

Nikki sighed. "I have boyfriend. But it's complicated. Things are a little rocky right now."

"Maybe a smooth relationship is the exception. Is there a chance things will get better?"

"I don't know."

"What would have to change?"

"_He'd_ have to change."

"Like how?"

"Like lower his expectations. He has expectations of normalcy that I can't meet."

Sam sensed something vulnerable in Nikki and wished she could help her and protect her. Sam didn't have children, she'd put just about everything into her career, but she sometimes wished she had a child. If she'd had a daughter she might be about Nikki's age now. Sam said, "Don't give up on yourself."

Nikki: "I'm not. I'll be O.K., Samantha." Nikki gave Sam a look and said, "I'm like some stray cat vagabond castaway. I'm used to it."

Sam: "Nikki, you're a beautiful young ... _child of the universe_."

Nikki: "Thanks, Samantha. But you know what? I'm tougher than I look."

Everyone plodding ahead. The goal was to get within range of the Temple Mount. Reed had been there many times before, but the enormous tunnel system had deviously convoluted passages. It was a sprawling network of ancient natural caverns and channels, newly-dug tunnels and caves, aqueducts, chambers, catacombs and secret passages.

Stefan asked Daniel, "Do people ever get lost down here?"

Daniel: "No, not really. I mean, it's _possible_, I guess, but ..."

Stefan: "I've heard they found skeletons down here."

Daniel smiled, and Reed said, "The skeletons they've found down here were a thousand years old."

Stefan didn't look reassured, but they kept plugging onward. Time passed. Daniel made some observation about Maghav Rek'iel's peace plan. Jack made some comment to the effect that Maghav Rek'iel "must like to eat," referring to the Maghav's portly waist size.

Teal'c said, "I agree, O'Neill. Maghav Rek'iel appears to be _huge of girth_."

The others smiled and chuckled, and Jack said, "Not huge of girth, Teal'c – how about chubby? Plump? How about _roly-poly_."

Which brought out-right laughter from the group. But Nikki wasn't laughing – the mention of Maghav Rek'iel's name sent a shiver down her spine, as the memory of her recognition experience and the vague remembrance of her dream of several days ago, floated through her mind.

Stefan drifted behind Nikki and Sam, at one point, and, dog that he was, focused on Nikki's legs – she was wearing shorts. He was thinking she was good-looking, that she had nice legs. Wondering, how old is she?

Just then Nikki looked back – and gave Stefan a look. Stefan thought, what, did she have eyes in the back of her head?

o - o - o - o - o

Jack and Daniel's group had been traveling through dark, narrow passages and wide, cavernous tunnels. In a few places they found themselves in wide-open vaults, large chambers which could have been used for mining or could have been catacombs or something else. The group walked on top of now defunct aqueducts and squeezed through tight channels, they took this turn and that turn as another hour passed.

Reed said, "We should've reached the last tunnel by now – the one leading straight in to the Temple Mount."

Jack: "We _should have_ ... or you're not sure?"

Reed: "Pretty sure." Pulling a handkerchief out of his shirt pocket, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "But, to tell you the truth, I almost get the feeling the reconstruction down here is _deliberate_. Maybe to disguise something."

Jack: "Disguise what?"

Reed: "I don't know."

Jack: "You think maybe somebody's trying to hide something?"

Reed: "Maybe. But I don't know what."

Jack thinking of possibilities, of the missing drone or at least something, some information or some kind of clue that could shed light on the drone. But there were other considerations too. He said, "Listen, Reed, I'd like to keep going, but if we don't reach the Temple Mount soon we'll have to think about going back. I don't want to take a chance of not having enough time to get back out."

Reed: "Well, once we reach the main tunnel to the Temple Mount we can keep going or we can exit, if we're too tired. Won't have to go back the way we came. That place to exit – Israeli security doesn't let anybody _enter_ through there but the door's set up to let you exit if you want."

Jack: "Well, that's good. Let's keep going then."

Reed: "Yeah, shouldn't be too much longer."

They were still trudging ahead, trying to keep their spirits up but getting tired, maybe some of them getting a little worried, too, that they might be lost.

Stefan: "Jack, let's say we really were lost. Who would come looking for us? Would those security people realize we're missing and come for us?"

Everybody looking at Jack. He said, "Hard to say. I suppose so."

Reed: "Didn't they tell you, Jack, about that badge you've got pinned on your shirt?"

Jack: "What do you mean?"

Reed: "The security people can track our movements as long as you've got that badge. It's got sensors in it – they've got an electronic tracking system, their screen out there shows every move we make."

Jack: "Oh." Looking a bit sheepish, "Did you hear that, Stefan, they'll come for us if we don't come out. They're tracking us."

_True, but not the way they thought. Jack and Daniel and his team's whereabouts were being tracked outside by the two men left posted there; they relayed that information to the men following them inside. Rosa en rosa had been wanting revenge ever since the shootings on the train to Fatima and they planned to get the three doctors and everyone else in their group. _

_The rosa en rosa unit planned to be deep inside the tunnel system when they administered what they considered Justice. However, they thought they'd catch up fairly soon and were finding instead it was difficult and slow-going trying to make their way through the intricate tunnel system._

_They'd made their entrance through Solomon's Quarries then descended southwest past the rock chunks shaken down from the roof, ascending and descending on the steep grade where Sam Carter fell, passing the mining pits and entering the first center-left tunnel. Then they'd gone through the tunnel opening Jack and Daniel's team had spent some time uncovering, travelling onward through the same caverns and aqueducts and tight-squeeze channels their target group had already come. They were completely focused on finding the three doctors and the rest of their group. They were slowly catching up._

Sam said, "I'm getting so tired."

Stefan: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

Sam: "No, really, something's not right. I feel like something's draining all my energy."

Stefan: "Maybe instead of a tunnel guide, we should have brought a doctor."

Sam: "Stefan, _please_. I"m in no mood!"

Daniel out of patience, yelling at him, "Stefan, so help me, if you don't cut it out!"

Their attempt to get under the Temple Mount was taking much longer than expected, so many twists and turns, fatigue setting in, everybody beginning to feel the strain. They stopped for a few minutes to rest and after a break began walking again, a hundred yards then another hundred and then it was Teal'c who got their attention.

Teal'c: "Reed, O'Neill ... do not proceed further." Pointing to the wall, "We have passed this way before."

Everyone coming to look. Teal'c pointing – they saw his "initials," _T'c_, and the time, _1405_, marked in blue on the wall. "I made this mark close to an hour ago," he said. "I must conclude we have traveled in a circle."

Jack's attaché, Major Johnson, said, "We're going 'round and 'round."

Everyone looking at the guide, Edwin Reed. He said, "Somebody must have covered-over another tunnel entrance, and we've happened on to one that circled back."

Stefan, looking at Reed, "Really? We've just _happened_ on to it?"

Reed: "It's not my fault."

Stefan: "Maybe it's time for a change of leadership."

Jack: "What are you talking about?"

Stefan: "Look, no disrespect to Reed, but we need somebody to lead who actually knows how to lead. I think it should be me, especially considering my good intuitive sense of direction."

Jack: "Oh for cryin' out loud!" Giving Daniel a look like, _Where did you get this guy?!_ Jack said, "Look, Stefan, let's get this straight: _I'm_ leading in conjunction with Reed. Got it?"

Stefan: "Begging your pardon, Jack, but we're free agents here, you have no official authority over members of Daniel's team."

Jack: "Yes I do – I'm the only one with the Antiquities Department clearance. You're all with _me_."

Daniel said, "He's right, Stefan. Down here, you take your orders from Jack."

Stefan: "All I know is, we need a change." Now glancing at Sam, then directing his words at Daniel, "This _whole_ _expedition_ would've been different, from the beginning, if _I'd_ been in charge!"

Daniel: "What the hell are you talking about?"

Stefan, again glancing at Sam.

Sam: "Are you referring to me? That I'm holding you back?"

Stefan: "Sam, you shouldn't be here. You're not well."

Sam: "I _am_ here and I'm well enough!"

Nikki: "Yeah, she's well enough!"

Stefan: "You keep out of this, little girl. You shouldn't be here either."

Daniel, "That's _enough_, Stefan. "I won't have you talking to my daughter like that."

Stefan: "How do you mean? As if she's _really_ your daughter?"

Daniel, Jack and Sam now scowling at Stefan – it was a cruel thing to say. Sam said, "That's low, Stefan, even for you."

Stefan, now realizing he'd gone too far, looking sheepish. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything, I'm just tired and frustrated is all, like everybody else."

Everyone was in a bad temper, everyone tired and frustrated.

Stefan: "However, I _still_ think I should lead."

Nikki getting irritable and impatient too and practically yelling, "Who _cares_, let's just _go_ if we're gonna go!"

Sam: "But ... which way?"

Nikki, angrily, "I _don't_ _care_, let's just keep walking!"

Daniel: "Calm down, Nikki."

Stefan now looking at Reed, "If you're lost, just admit you're lost. I don't know why you won't admit it."

Reed: "What's to admit, I'm _not_ lost."

Stefan: "Yes you are, you have no idea where we are!"

Sam lapsed into speaking backwards, "Crazy is this, God My." Everyone stopping to translate what she was trying to say, which was just "My God, this is crazy."

Jack watching the tumult around him and feeling responsible, but now Teal'c circling around in back of them, looking at something on the tunnel walls. He raised his hand to get their attention and said, "O'Neill, Daniel Jackson – this is something you should observe."

They all came to see. Major Johnson got a look – "Is it red paint?"

It looked like red paint, at first, but Daniel said, "It looks like blood ..." Daniel examining it, "But it's _petrified_ blood."

Teal'c was following the wall back further, now saw something like sticky mucus on the walls, everybody looking, everybody following him, Teal'c finding a corner in the shadows where they'd passed without noticing, a rocky shelf formation in the rock walls and on the shelf something made of straw, round-shaped and big; in fact, very big if it was what it seemed to be ...

Nikki: "It's some kind of _nest_, isn't it?"

Daniel: "Yeah, a bird's nest, but look at the _size_ of it!"

Sam: "What type of bird would have a nest that big?"

Daniel: "Damned if I know. Maybe a condor."

Jack: "Are there any condors in Israel?"

Daniel: "No."

Jack, Daniel and Reed huddled and decided they couldn't waste any more time and should retrace their steps towards the last fork; scanning the walls for a covered tunnel entrance, everybody keeping their eyes open for anything unusual, walking twenty-five yards, fifty yards ... when all of a sudden Sam jumped like she'd just received an electric shock! Calling out, "What was that?!"

Daniel: "What?"

Sam, looking all around her, "I thought I felt something brush past me."

Teal'c said, "Wait. I feel something too." Scanning all around, trying _to_ _see_ something. He tilted his eyes, looked at an angle. Then he saw it.

They all stopped, Jack asking Teal'c, "What is it?"

Teal'c: "It is difficult to see, but I perceive a shadow in movement around us, circling and touching each one of us."

Daniel: "Now I feel it."

Stefan: "I feel something too."

So did Major Johnson. They all felt it, something gently touching them, ever so briefly, then it was gone, then brushing past again and barely touching them – but they couldn't see anything.

Daniel whispered, just loud enough for everyone to hear, "Don't move, keep perfectly still." He intuitively sensed that, whatever it was, it was on reconnaissance, just _exploring_. "It seems to be checking us out."

Teal'c whispering, "I _hear_ something – can anyone else hear it?"

Jack whispering too – everybody now whispering when they talked: "I don't hear anything. I don't even _see_ anything."

Teal'c: "Tilt your eyes and look from an angle – you may perceive it from the corner of your eye."

Jack trying it, tilting his head and looking out from the corner of his eyes, scanning around himself. "You're right, I see it now. There's a shadow ... circling around us."

Stefan: "I see it too – the shadow."

Teal'c again asked, "Am I the only one who hears something? The sound is very faint, a low _buzzing_ sound ... or a _hissss_?"

By tilting their eyes and looking from a certain angle they could all see the shadow but no one else _heard_ anything. And then seconds later it was gone. They were relieved but full of questions.

Sam: "I felt it touch me. _Whatever_ it was."

Stefan: "Me too."

Daniel: "We all did."

Sam: "What _was_ it?"

Stefan: "Yeah, what the hell _was_ that?!"

Jack: "Daniel?"

Daniel: "Beats me. No idea."

Stefan: "What do you think it could have wanted?"

Daniel: "Damned if I know."

Only one person in the group saw it clearly, but she was reluctant to speak up. Finally, Nikki said, "I saw it."

Sam: "You saw the shadow?"

Nikki: "No, not just a shadow. I saw it clearly. What it really was."

Daniel: "Nikki, what did you see?"

Nikki: "I don't know, a _bird_ or something."

Daniel: "A _bird_?"

Nikki: "Maybe."

Daniel: "What kind of bird?"

Nikki: "I don't know."

Jack, firmly, "Nikki, tell us what you saw."

Nikki: "I _don't_ _know_. A bird or something, a bird-man."

Daniel: "A_ bird-man_?"

Nikki: "Half-bird, half-man. Kinda like _Hawkman_, you know?"

Jack: "Like in the comic book?"

Nikki: "Yeah, sorta." She hesitated, then said, "But not exactly. I don't know how to describe it."

Everybody trying to sort out what she'd told them.

Daniel: "How big was it?"

Nikki: "I don't know. Big as a man."

Jack: "Anything else you can describe about it?"

How to describe the indescribable? She'd seen it clearly, but didn't really _understand_ what she saw. Smokey, glassy mirrors for eyes. Winged like a mythological creature, like somebody's nightmare dream got loose underground. An image came to her – she imagined the creature trying to scream a human scream but no human mouth; stuck somewhere, in a middle world. Sad, maybe, but it looked dangerous too, with its beak and sharp claws and angel-winged blades.

Nikki answered, "I don't know. It's creepy lookin'. And dangerous, I think."

Jack: "Any idea of what it wanted?"

Nikki: "I guess, like my father said, seemed to be just checking us out."

Everybody still just trying to comprehend what she was saying.

Stefan, suspiciously, "Even if what you said is true ... how come _you're_ the only one who can see it?"

Nikki: "How should _I_ know? Let's just get outta here."

Jack: "Yeah, I think we'd better get moving."

Reed: "Right. Let's find that tunnel opening we missed."

They were now walking as quickly as possible but gingerly, spooked, scanning the walls for the opening while constantly looking back for signs that_ that thing_ was returning.

Teal'c telling Jack about a mini-torch he had on his belt he'd brought in case they needed light and how he could convert it if he had to but how it was probably too small, and both of them swearing and muttering about weapons they _wished_ they had with them. Teal'c had a 9 mm Glock and Jack and the Major had Berettas but Teal'c said, "Any gunfire and we would run the risk of rounds ricocheting."

Jack: "You're right, these rock walls are a perfect invitation to that."

Stefan still on edge from the encounter with the shadows; he smoked an occasional cigarette, and pulled one out.

Nikki saw him and said, "That might not be so good in here."

Stefan ignored her, flicking the lighter on, the small flame shooting up – and maybe that's what set them off. Because just then Teal'c looked back down the tunnel and caught sight of a dark moving shadow. "It has returned," he said, "it is quickly approaching." Peering down the tunnel, he asked, "Nicole Jackson, are there more than one this time?"

Nikki: "Yeah. There's _three_ this time!"

They didn't know whether to stay still or run but Stefan started running and maybe _that's_ what set them off. Nobody ever knew, but from behind them down the tunnel they came, swooping down on them, this time the noise of their squawking and screeching so shrill and piercing and so tremendously loud it had Nikki covering her ears, Stefan looking pale as a ghost as the shadowy creatures came on fast and then _zap! zap! zap!_ – they _attacked_. Right away Sam was down, knocked over and yelling, "I'm hit!" She was hurt, sprawled out on the ground and bleeding, Stefan on the ground too, screaming, the creatures bombarding them like dive bombers with their beaks and claws, or what _felt_ like beaks and claws – because all you could see were shadows.

Jack yelled, "Hit the ground!" There wasn't any cover and there was nowhere to go but he yelled again, "Get down, stay low!"

It was all happening so fast. The lightning-quick creatures in a frenzy, slicing in and out like insatiable birds of prey, assaulting them from all sides with sharp blade-like wings and deadly claws, pecking at them too with their beaks, going for their eyes and throats, frenzied out of control ... Jack pulled out his Beretta and blasted them – but it did no good, the rounds bounced off and merely distracted them for a few seconds, and then the barely visible shadows of terror swarmed back, coming on again full force!

Sam on the ground calling for help; everybody wanting to go help but unable to get to her, dust sweeping up from the tunnel floor from the creatures' wings, flailing and flapping wildly – even for Nikki it was hard to see what was going on. Nikki finally able to reach Sam, standing over her and shielding Sam with her body; Nikki herself unharmed, seemingly untouched, remaining there draped over Sam for what seemed like the longest time – as the attack's toll began to mount: Stefan bleeding noticeably from his side, Jack's right hand bruised almost boot-black and his forehead bleeding, Edwin Reed looking cut up badly too. Teal'c suddenly reached out, trying to grab or swat at them but pulled back – his arm bleeding as he winced in pain and yelled out, "They are razor-sharp!" Major Johnson now trying to help Stefan, Nikki protecting Sam, Nikki hoping something really bad didn't happen, because it felt like it could, like somebody could _die_ or somethin', right here today. They _all_ could.

Teal'c pulled something from his belt, a flare torch he'd brought in case they needed more light, quickly pulled off the aluminum cover, pumped up the propellant, adjusted the jets, clicked the battery-operated fuel switch and out came a blast like a mini flame-thrower, a burst fairly strong and wide, the shadow creatures now clearly reacting, moving away as if frightened or at least wary of the open flame. As they retreated Teal'c cut the switch to save fuel – with the little fuel supply it carried he'd only get three bursts, if he was lucky. Everybody looking in the direction they'd gone, everybody dazed and dizzy with incomprehension of what had just happened, watching and waiting and hoping it was over.

But no, the reprieve was momentary ... within seconds they rushed forward on the attack again.

Stefan screamed when he saw them coming again, everyone huddled around Jack who was behind Teal'c, as Teal'c hit the switch again and sprayed another blast of flame in their direction, waving it wide and moving towards them aggressively, feinting at them once, then jabbing, then another feint and a jab, trying to get close enough to actually burn one of them with the flame; they were too quick for that but this time they retreated further, moving away and hovering at some distance down the tunnel, just floating there ... perhaps calculating their next move? And then all of a sudden they were gone. It was over. At least for now.

"Whoo!" Jack breathed in relief.

Reed swore, "Holy God!"

Daniel: "Tell me that didn't happen!"

Major Johnson: "I can't believe we're still alive!"

Reed: "Holy mother of God!"

They were all shaken to the core, all of them just trying to catch their breath and get a grip.

Nikki: "Over here!"

Daniel moving towards her and Sam, "Nikki – are you O.K.?"

Nikki: "I'm O.K. But Samantha is hurt."

Neither Sam nor Stefan able to say anything yet, too much in shock. Stefan's bruises swelling, his face puffing out already; Sam moaning, but when they checked her she didn't seem to be suffering from any critical life-threatening injuries, and neither did anybody else. Their wounds deserved medical attention, everybody stiff, sore, bleeding, busted-up, banged-up, struggling to recover and get their wits about them, but as much in a psychological state of shock as anything to do with the physical damage they'd suffered. Stefan silent and still frozen in fear; it was a while before he could even talk.

Daniel pulled Sam up off the ground, trying to comfort her, Nikki right there by her side. Nikki was unharmed. In fact, she seemed completely untouched.

Daniel: "There's no way to know if they'll come back, or how long we have."

Jack: "Listen, Reed, we've _got_ to find that opening, fast!" Then looking at his banged-up group, "Let's go, everybody, let's go."

Sam barely able to stumble along, Daniel shouldering her; Jack and Reed and everybody searching the walls ... walking as fast as they could, everyone in the tattered group keeping their eyes open as best they could for that opening they'd missed.

Reed: "We should be close, it oughta be near here somewhere."

Jack asked Teal'c, "Anything left in that thing?"

Teal'c: "Perhaps one good blast, O'Neill, that is all."

Was one good blast going to be enough? Because they'd been looking back and they all saw it, the shadows gathering again in the distance down the tunnel behind them. Everyone scared or at least concerned for their prospects, even Jack, even Teal'c, because after his single blast of flame was gone they'd be defenseless, and because it seemed likely the creatures would attack again any minute.

Daniel whispered, "I recommend we stand perfectly still. It's _movement_, I think, that disturbs them and draws them in and makes them excitable."

Jack: "Maybe so. It's worth a try, anyway."

Reed whispered, "O.K., but I'm sure that opening must be _close_." He was scanning the walls, and told them. "I'm just going to check this next wall area ..."

Daniel still whispering, "O.K., but walk _slowly_, keep it very, very slow and quiet. Got it?"

Reed: "Got it."

Seconds passing, nobody moving except Reed, who went ten, twenty, thirty yards away from the others, holding close to the walls and keeping it slow and quiet, seconds still passing and the shadows holding where they were ... until finally he saw it. "It's here!" he whispered, excited but keeping his voice down. Everybody else now slowly edging their way towards Reed. As they drifted towards him he'd already started working on the opening, but all this movement was risky.

And then the creatures suddenly made their move. The shadows swooping in fast upon them, everybody jumping in fright and forgetting not to run and running towards the still-covered opening, Teal'c now firing-up another blast of flame, the last he could really count on.

The shadows retreated, but nobody knew how long they'd have, Reed and everyone frantically working to clear the tunnel opening and they soon found this one was different – as they cleared the dirt they found a door, an actual swinging, wooden door with hinges built into the rock walls, complete with a metal latching mechanism they could open and close behind them – at least, _when_ they got it cleared. Because they were still a minute or two from getting it open and they were all still vulnerable at that point in the tunnel, now still frantically working to uncover the door but fearful about getting it open in time, because Teal'c's flame was finished. But it was just then that something completely unexpected happened.

From the opposite end of the tunnel a group of men appeared as if out of nowhere. Appeared to be tourists. Got everybody's attention; it was likely the creatures saw them too.

Jack, peering down the tunnel, "I think those men are armed."

Daniel: "I think I recognize one of them."

Teal'c: "Yes, Daniel Jackson, they are most definitely armed. The one in front on the right was on the train."

Daniel: "It's Guerrero."

_The rosa en rosa unit had turned a corner and saw their targets ahead, no more than fifty yards away. They were finally about to meet them head-on, finally about to cash-in on their chance for revenge. They were excited, expectant, so close ... but now they saw their prey working on what appeared to be a new tunnel opening – looked like they could get away! No, impossible, they couldn't let that happen! Rushing forward, everyone in their unit running full-tilt down the tunnel, trying to reach them before they got through that door ... _

_Meanwhile, the shadowy creatures had already begun rustling, getting ready to move. Daniel's group still outside the new tunnel, now standing perfectly still. As soon as the men launched themselves forward, the already agitated creatures streaked past Jack and Daniel's group towards rosa en rosa, squawking and screeching with a vengeance and a fury born of built-up frustration from their previous encounter. _

Reed finally got the door open for the tunnel they needed. They began slipping through, starting with Major Johnson helping Sam. As the creatures flashed past to attack _rosa en rosa_, Nikki stopped, lingering outside the door, wanting one last look.

Daniel yelled, "Come on, Nikki!"

Nikki looking and trying to _comprehend _the creatures ... she just wanted one more impression of what they _were_.

Jack and Daniel both yelled at her, "Come on, Nikki, there's no time, get inside!"

She finally ran to the door and slipped through, leaving only Teal'c and Jack outside, who were the last and who now came through.

_The men with rosa en rosa were completely focused on getting to their targets; they didn't see anything, not even shadows. They'd first sighted their targets at a distance of about fifty yards, now just some twenty-five yards away, they were so close, seeing their targets enter that new tunnel, still rushing full-force ... until all of a sudden they felt the first sharp cuts to their faces and hands, saw the first blood come streaming out; shocked, the rosa en rosa operatives crying out in surprise and pain at something they couldn't see, cries and screams as the men received one painful, slicing jab and cut after another, assailed on all sides in that tunnel with no defense ... the shadows surrounding them and attacking them ferociously, engulfing the new group of fast-moving intruders in their furious rage. _

_One after another each man went down. Their annihilation was swift and absolute. _

Inside, Jack yelled at Reed, "Forget about the Temple Mount, let's get the hell outta here!"


	9. Chapter 9

**9**

**At their headquarters **deep underground**,** the Maghavs found a notice posted on their door. It was a summons from the Others.

_Your presence is required before representatives of Our Ascended Realm. Non-compliance will bring direct action against you without benefit of a hearing. The meeting time and place shall be:_

_Date: 27 August, 2023_

_Time: 12:00 PM_

_Location: The Celestial Diner _

Mar'tan said, "We always knew it was just a question of time."

Rek'iel: "Of course. We'll meet them, and initiate a challenge. It's the only way forward."

Mar'tan: "After we win, we'll have a free hand to continue our work. With victory, they'll have to relinquish all influence on us."

Rek'iel: "Yes. They can push, but we'll push back."

o - o - o – o - o

AT THE HOSPITAL, after the incident in the tunnels, everyone in Jack and Daniel's group was treated and released. Even Sam was released, though psychologically she wasn't at all well.

The Israeli authorities wanted answers. Reports were made, investigations set in motion, mainly centered around _rosa en rosa_. Jack handled everything, telling them what he could, but he never mentioned the subject of the shadowy creatures in the tunnels; any mention of that strange phenomenon would have taken all chance of going back into the tunnels out of his hands. More important, he thought, full disclosure would probably have brought Nikki into it, and Sam too, and she seemed traumatized enough.

Back at their hotel, Jack and Daniel's group rested and recuperated, analyzing and speculating about what they'd experienced. Jack had plans to go back in, and so did Daniel and a couple of others, but it wouldn't include Sam – she seemed to have taken even more of a turn for the worse.

Nikki was a good witness to Sam's condition – she spent a lot of her time in Sam's hotel room, taking care of her, playing the role of nurse, spending the night there, watching Sam toss and turn, Nikki falling asleep in a chair next to Sam's bed. In the morning Nikki woke up with the recurring dream she often had still fresh in her mind: she's in Egypt at an airport, sitting in the terminal when the airport loudspeaker announces that two airplanes almost crashed. She sits there meditating and chanting her mantra, _Look within, awaken, rise,_ over and over, trying to wake up but she can't, so she tries to remember her mission and struggles and struggles to wake until finally she did wake up.

She wanted to talk to her father. If he was alone, now was the time.

Outside in the hall she ran into Teal'c, just coming out of the elevator to their floor. Nikki stopped him and said, "Let me give you a hug."

Teal'c happy to accommodate. "What have I done to merit your good wishes, Nicole Jackson?"

"That's for savin' us."

"I have done nothing out of the ordinary."

"Without you, we'd all be goners."

She liked him and Teal'c liked her. He liked her tattoos, and had the impression they had something in common, which was that she didn't quite "fit in" with humans, any more than he did.

Nikki left Teal'c and went in to see her father. She knocked and called, "Hello? Dad?"

"Nikki! Come in."

She found him alone, thankfully. "Is this a good time?"

"It's a good time. Come on in, Nikki, let's talk. How's Sam doing?"

"Not too good."

"Sorry to hear that, but I kind of figured as much. We'll have to do something."

"What can we do? I mean, Samantha doesn't need a doctor, she needs an _exorcist_. Or something."

Daniel breathed deeply and said, "Yes, _or something_. Actually, I've been developing a plan. I'll tell you about it ... as soon as I iron out a few details."

Nikki had something to say, and didn't want to put it off any longer. She said, "Dad, I have something I want to tell you. Something I should've told you a long time ago."

"Is that right? O.K., now's good. Let's hear it?"

She took a deep breath before she started, because it felt like telling a secret, and then she started slowly, telling about the recurring dream, which always started out in an airport; then she told him about the experience with the goosebumps and tingling sensation, telling him, "Something triggers it and then there's goosebumps and a tingling feeling rushes through my body and sometimes it's like I _recognize_ people or _know things_ I wouldn't have known ... I don't know how to explain it. But it doesn't last long and pretty soon it _clicks off_ and the experience ends." After a moment she added, "And it even happened a couple of times recently – when I saw that _Maghav Rek'iel_ on the television news."

Daniel quiet, waiting to see if she'd say more, as Nikki continued, "It _scared_ me, the first time it ever happened, and it _always_ does, every time, because I don't know if I'm _crazy_ or do I have some kind of multiple personality ... or is there some other person's _consciousness_ inside me? I just ... I don't know. It scares the daylights out of me not knowin' what it's all about, you know?"

Daniel responded, "Did you ever tell anybody else about it?"

"Just my friend Ron, a long time ago. Ron said I should get a guru."

"How about your doctor, or your therapist?"

"I told them but they never had anything to say about it. It didn't fit in with any of their _known categories_."

Daniel wasn't completely surprised about what she'd been telling him. He'd seen signs.

Nikki said, "Anyway, like I said, seeing Maghav Rek'iel on television set it off, and I don't know what to make of it. Any ideas?"

"No, not at this point. But you were also able to see those hybrid creatures in the tunnels when they were invisible to everybody else ..."

Nikki: "Except Teal'c."

Daniel: "Except Teal'c, though he didn't see them clearly the way you did. Maybe your ability to see them is related to your tingling sensation of recognition?"

Nikki shook her head; she had no idea.

Daniel: "I can't help but wonder what you would have seen in Fatima, when we encountered the hologram-apparition with Merlin's image. Sam told us she doesn't remember what she saw when she went inside, but what would you have seen? And if the apparitions are a link in the sequence of planetary phenomena Earth shares with other planets, well, there's got to be a common denominator, a connection I ought to see but just can't see yet."

Nikki returned to the subject of her dream. "In my recurring dream I repeat my mantra over and over, but I don't know anything about mantras. What could it mean?"

Daniel: "Can you tell me the mantra again?"

"_Look within, awaken, rise._ What could it mean?"

Daniel deep in thought, not answering. Nikki asked, "Do you know anything about my background, before I was adopted, that could explain anything?"

He wished he knew more but he didn't. He told her, "All we ever knew is that you were found by the nuns on the doorstep of the Catholic Charities building in downtown Los Angeles."

"Not very reassuring. So, how did you and mom decide you wanted _me_?"

"Well, one day Silke went in to talk to someone in charge, someone in the office at the orphanage – just to ask about the process. Not to meet any children. That's all she went for, but she happened to see you there that day. Just by chance."

"Really, just by chance?"

"Yep. That's how it happened. Because she came home that day and told me about you, how she'd seen you and found out your name and she was all excited, couldn't stop talking about you or thinking about you – she just fell in love with you, just like that."

"Oh. I never knew that."

"Do you remember your mother coming that first time?"

"No."

"She came home and told me, 'That little girl is special. We just have to bring her home!' She felt some immediate, special bond when she saw you for the first time, she said you had a _mischievous_,_ knowing look in your eyes_, and when I met you I felt it too."

Nikki completely absorbed in his story.

"We felt you were meant for us, and when we brought you home we felt _so_ _happy_ to have you. S_o happy_, and that's never changed, Nikki."

Nikki sighed, and went and gave her father a hug, and said, "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Nikki."

Nikki was glowing. Both of them got up to get something to drink, Daniel fixing himself a cup of coffee, while Nikki took bottled water from the hotel room fridge.

Nikki asked, "So, what are we gonna do about Samantha?"

Daniel was quiet for a few seconds, then said, "I've been working on an idea, just waiting to see if there were any developments and when best to tell you about it."

"Why, what's your idea?"

"I have an old friend on the island of Cyprus, who might be able to help with Sam. She knows all about ... let's say, all kinds of psychological-type phenomena."

"Like a therapist?"

"More like a _healer_, I guess you could say. And she knows about Atlantis. She cured me once when I needed help and now I'm thinking, maybe she could do something for Sam."

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Sandrine."

"I didn't see her name in your book."

"No. That's because I met her before I came to the Stargate program, and I knew she wouldn't have wanted her name mentioned. She's rather reclusive, you could say. But I've never forgotten her and there's no way I could ever repay her for what she did."

"When's the last time you saw her?"

"It's been over ten years now, I guess, but I talk to her on the phone every so often. I talked to her last night."

"So, you want Samantha to go see Sandrine?"

"Well, kind of. I want _you_ to take her there."

Nikki looking very surprised – she had no idea her father had been thinking along those lines.

Daniel said, "It'd be so good if you'd take her. And you've never been to Cyprus, have you? You could relax there, see the island." He was smiling, trying to persuade her. "Besides, you might get something yourself, from talking to Sandrine."

"I don't want to leave you."

"Think of Sam, that it's mainly for her. Because she needs this, and she needs you to take her."

Nikki really not happy about leaving her father. "What did Sandrine say when you talked to her?"

"That it was O.K. for you and Sam to come."

Nikki thinking it over, really wishing she could stay here with her father; but finally, reluctantly told him, "O.K., I'll go."

Daniel added, "And there's something else. I want Teal'c to go with you."

"What? Noooo ... you need him here!"

"I'd never let you go alone."

Nikki, looking unhappy, pouting a little. "Me and Samantha could manage it ourselves."

"Yes, I know you could but ..." his words drifting off. "Look, Nikki, I don't want to strong-arm you about this, I'd rather have your willing acceptance. But either you take Teal'c ... or else you don't go. And if you don't go, Sam won't get better."

Nikki still unhappy but now resigned to it. "I'll take Teal'c. For Sam's sake."

They discussed some travel details, everything now decided. The day after tomorrow, Sam, Nikki, and Teal'c would leave for the island of Cyprus.

o - o - o – o - o

**August 27.** Outside Jerusalem, energy forms radiant with astral consciousness made their descent not from the heavens but from the quasi-celestial realm of the Others, taking residence in a humble roadside diner on a road between Jerusalem and Jericho. No human customers entered there nor could humans even _see_ the diner – it was visible only to other ascended beings.

At 12:00 noon Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan entered the diner. Once inside, the atmosphere took on a slightly dream-like, translucent quality that lacked normal human traction, as if, if you looked closely at anything, you might look right through it.

They were directed to a meeting room in the back. Those Others who took an interest in Earth's development sent a three-member tribunal to represent them. The tribunal's tough, no-nonsense, spokeswoman had been a Lantean named Sophus. She intended to take a hard-line in these proceedings, and wasted no time in calling the meeting to order: "Maghav Rek'iel, Maghav Mar'tan, you have been called here before this tribunal to face serious charges against the rules and traditions of Our Ascended Realm."

The room was full of ascended on-lookers towards the back, with the three-member tribunal sitting up high on a platform in front.

Spokeswoman: "These are the charges. First, you knowingly interfered in human affairs, thereby violating the Prime Directive. That transgression alone, of course, is enough to incur a very severe penalty. But furthermore, you have also assisted or attempted to assist in the process of ascension using untested, artificial methods. The result? The mortal world knows nothing as yet about _defective beings_ or _defective creatures_ – howsoever you choose to call them. Have you ever considered the impact such abominations will have on the families of those affected?"

Rek'iel thinking, some collateral damage was unfortunate but unavoidable. To make an omelette, one had to break a few eggs.

"And there's more," the spokeswoman declared, looking grim. The spokeswoman was a fiery sort who seemed to relish her role as prosecutor. "You took holograms, created by Merlin and other Ancients thousands of years ago, designed to warn the planet's inhabitants of imminent danger if the world-grid were ever tampered with, and reconfigured those holograms to appear like spiritual _apparitions_, for your own selfish purposes. And why? For the sole purpose of creating a fearful world atmosphere, fertile for new converts, because unsuspecting humans would believe they were approaching _the_ _end of the world_, and look to you for salvation. Such manipulations are contemptible!"

"Unjustifiable!" an on-looker in the back cried out.

"Reprehensible!" shouted another.

"Yes, this is absolutely monstrous behavior, and totally unacceptable," said the spokeswoman, shaking her head in disapproval. "Did you really expect this conduct to go unnoticed and unpunished? But we have still not reached the most serious charge. For the purpose of pursuing your experiments in creating beings who are ascended-in-the-flesh, using etheric energy from the world-grid as a power source, you have put at risk the stability of the grid itself. The dangers are profound – even potentially catastrophic. The survival of the human race is at stake."

Maghav Mar'tan himself had questioned the safety of the artificial ascension process, presenting doubts which, however, Maghav Rek'iel always flatly and steadfastly rejected. But ultimately, nothing shook Mar'tan's faith in Rek'iel.

Rek'iel stood and spoke up: "You have no _proof_ for any such conclusion. It's mere speculation."

Spokeswoman: "Aye, no positive proof as yet, if we use your meaning of the word _proof_. According to _your_ interpretation, the dangers are not proven until the destruction is complete. Be advised, we shall not wait while the extraordinary phenomena increase, phenomena which suggest the etheric world-grid is being stretched to its breaking point. It may already be structurally compromised. The Others in Our Ascended Realm do not deem Earth's world grid as something to tinker with."

Rek'iel: "Beyond periodic maintenance requirements, I assure you, the process of tapping the world grid for etheric energy is completely safe."

The spokeswoman responded, "Our concern is the lack of stability – the same lack of stability that plagued the development of zero point energy. Your actions are reckless, there are terrible dangers here – have you forgotten the misfires of Project Arcturus?"

Rek'iel now getting worked up, "This is no Project Arcturus – my work requires no zero point energy!"

Spokeswoman: "Your _work_ is in violation of our code!" Getting nods of agreement from around the room. "Violating the Prime Directive through interference in human affairs is a serious offense and, rest assured, will have serious consequences."

Rek'iel shouted back at them, "Rest assured, interference _with me_ will have serious consequences!"

The outburst may have been ridiculous and useless, but onlookers in the room got riled and even the tribunal members looked surprised. To everyone looking on, Maghav Rek'iel obviously didn't know his place; he was a rogue misfit, rotten to the core.

The spokeswoman said, "Your impertinence is hereby noted in the tribunal's records. Once again, for the record, do you deny the truth of any of the aforementioned charges?"

Rek'iel: "We deny everything."

Some discussion ensued among the tribunal members. It didn't last long. Within ten minutes, the spokeswoman announced, "On behalf of the Honorable Others of Our Ascended Realm, this tribunal finds Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan guilty of violating the Prime Directive and other crimes, and of behavior not befitting ascended beings." The spokeswoman paused, fixing both of the accused in her fiery glare, then continued, "At this time, do either of you wish to make any further statement, before your sentence is pronounced?"

Rek'iel stood tall and projected his voice: "Following tradition, no sentence can be pronounced if a challenge be initiated. We hereby challenge the tribunal."

Spokeswoman: "A challenge? What kind of challenge?"

Rek'iel: "The challenge of opening and reading the Akashic Records; that is, what was long known under the term _Ludus Libati_, now more commonly known as the _Game of Destiny_."

The room of on-lookers gasped collectively and every tribunal member appeared shocked – a challenge based on _Ludus Libati_ had not been brought for almost two thousand years! In truth, many current ascended beings had never even been ascended at all, since the last time _the game_ was used to challenge a tribunal ruling!

Rek'iel: "It is our right, under the traditions of Our Ascended Realm, to call forth past lives as recorded in the Akashic Records, thenceforth to be judged by the Keeper of those universal and all-inclusive archives. Unless the challenge be accepted and the representative of the Others subsequently proves victorious, you must not interfere with my actions nor with those of my associates."

The tribunal members were completely taken aback, totally unprepared for such a procedural move. Nothing like this had ever happened on their watch, and they were momentarily speechless!

Rek'iel said, "Maghav Mar'tan and I shall join our challenge together as one, and exercise our right to choose the representative of our choice as our opponent, following prevailing traditions of the game."

The Maghavs could choose anyone who officially represented the Others as an opponent. Pointing to the spokeswoman, Rek'iel said, "We choose you, Spokeswoman Sophus, as our opponent, in the _Ludus Libati_."

After more discussion on the part of the tribunal, the challenge was grudgingly accepted. Ground rules were reviewed and the Akashic Record Keeper's identity disclosed. The game would commence within twenty-four hours.


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

**August 28, 2023. **

THE GAME OF DESTINY HAD COMMENCED. The game tapped into past lives by opening and viewing the _Akashic Records_ – from an etheric-realm repository which held every human thought and action in planetary memory. Enlightened spiritual masters and ascended beings have always known how to access the akashic records. In the Game of Destiny, the decision of victory or defeat would be rendered by an impartial ascended being known as the _Records Keeper_.

For onlookers, _reading_ the akashic records meant watching the story unfold like a movie projected on a screen, with ancient languages intuitively understood as modern equivalents. Rek'iel, Mar'tan and the spokeswoman, Sophus, were more directly pulled in, appearing to be asleep though actually awake on another, transcendent plane, from which they beheld past events as if the events were still present and active.

o - o - o - o - o

ON BOARD THE PLANE TO CYPRUS, Teal'c had a feeling something wasn't right. It was early afternoon and weather conditions outside were clear, but something wasn't right though he didn't know what. The sixty-seat regional jet had two seats on each side, Teal'c on the aisle with the window seat next to him empty while across the aisle was Sam on her laptop, Nikki sitting next to her in the window seat, dozing.

Teal'c: "How do you feel, Dr. Carter?"

"I'm hanging in there."

Sam had her nonlinear device hooked into her laptop. Her memory was foggy and she wasn't feeling well, but playing with the device was simply her way of trying to get her brain moving: hooked-in to her laptop, she could calculate their altitude, speed, distance from Larnaca airport in Cyprus, and do other analysis.

Nikki dozing in the window seat, all quiet on the plane, and eventually Nikki drifted off into unusual dreams, now dreaming there was another plane behind them, chasing them, and because of that they needed her and now _she_ was flying the plane, using zig-zag evasive maneuvers to lose the one behind, pulling hard to the left then careening downward through a spin and now adjusting the trajectory while looking for any kind of escape route. But she didn't feel worried; instead, feeling a serene sense of confidence being in the pilot's seat.

The dream felt brilliantly real.

Sam leaning over, "Nikki, time to wake up."

No response. Sam tapping on Nikki's arm, "Nikki, we're getting close to Larnaca – time to wake up."

Still no response, Sam trying again, "Nikki! Wake up!" while giving her a shake but no response and now Sam getting a little worried as she looked towards Teal'c on the other side of the aisle and got his attention – "Teal'c, she won't wake up!"

Teal'c: "I shall check her responses, Dr. Carter," as he got up and tried waking her and checked her pulse and breathing, then said, "Highly unusual. We can be thankful her vital signs are normal."

Another minute passed but she was still unresponsive, Sam now remembering Nikki had told her about this, that it could happen – but _not_ about what to do. Teal'c tried his best to calm Carter, telling her quietly, "At least Nicole Jackson is stable," as Sam alerted the flight attendant.

o - o - o - o - o

INSIDE THE CELESTIAL DINER, the akashic clock had spun 'round and 'round as centuries and millennia passed, landscapes from the past flashing by with tremendous speed, flashing past lifetimes centuries ago in England and a thousand years ago in Tibet and back to ancient Rome, back further and further until finally settling at a time ten thousand years ago in Eastern Africa, when Rek'iel was known as Namor-Ma.

They were moving at close to one thousand miles per hour in their aircraft and Namor's partner told him, "I'm tryin."

Namor-Ma's partner was a woman, Mokha-Em, the two flying over what would be present-day Kenya, Mokha in the pilot's seat – with two aircraft chasing them.

Mokha-Em: "I'm tryin' but I can't shake 'em."

Namor-Ma: "You will. You always do."

Mokha: "Yeah, maybe, but only for a while."

She was a good pilot with quick reflexes – which was good, because they were fugitives on the run.

Mokha-Em glanced at Namor and said, "Hold on to your seat," as she dropped the aircraft five hundred feet in four seconds then leveled off, the trackers still following her, Mokha coaxing the supersonic aircraft to maximum speed while staying low and dodging mountain peaks. Flying this low this fast was _dangerous_ – but Mokha was supremely confident when she was in the pilot's seat.

A sheet-of-rock mountainside looming ahead, getting closer and closer and Namor thinking they were getting too close, it looked like she was about to fly the jumper _straight into it_ and he finally asked her, "Aren't you going to pull it up?"

Mokha: "Relax, I know what I'm doing."

The trackers still on their tail, Mokha not caring if the way she flew made Namor nervous; she went back up again, a thousand feet or more, leveling off, and then ...

"Get ready," she told Namor, making the aircraft bank hard to the left and pushing their speed to the max before putting it into a steep downward angle and daring their trackers to follow them into a cavernous area she'd gotten to know, a rough terrain full of hundreds of tiny caves where she could make them play hide and seek.

Maneuvering in there was tough but she could do it. She spotted one cave you'd need a shoehorn to get into, but she managed it and they held up inside there, just hanging there and hovering with the sound dampers on, and they soon saw the two tracker aircraft passing by unawares. It was neat work on Mokha's part.

Eventually they emerged from the cavern from the way they'd come in. She put on the speed and got some distance between them until finally Namor said, "You lost them, we can relax."

Mokha: "Yeah, for the moment, but they'll be back."

Namor thinking, she wasn't just a good pilot, she was maybe the best there ever was. Of course, he wasn't completely objective: Namor's precocious pilot was also his fiancée. Like Namor, her jacket had a patch with the seal of Atlantis. Another recognizable feature of Ancient-Lanteans at that time was their slightly blue-ish skin color.

Mokha saw a lightning strike to the east. "See that?"

Namor: "Electrical storm brewing from the northeast ... maybe we'll find some water?" Reflecting about life here on Earth, he said, "We're going to miss the clear calm of Pegasus."

Mokha: "Yeah, I suppose so." Looking down at the dry African bushland, seeing some kind of movement in the trees. "Look, see there," pointing to the southeast.

Namor: "A band of nine, ten," as he looked and counted, "about seventeen human primitives, I'd say."

Mokha saw them too. "They look hungry ... and _ragged_, seems to me."

Namor: "They're by no means self-sufficient, not yet. They need any bit of civilization we can give them."

Mokha: "They need somethin'."

Namor: "A little push is all they need. Otherwise, at the rate they're going, it'll be another twenty thousand years before they even come _close_ to the idea of an alphabet." Namor watched the band of primitives traveling east towards the savanna. "But they've got a lot of potential, I firmly believe that."

An hour or so passed, they'd been flying their puddle jumper over present-day Kenya in the direction of Ethiopia, on the look-out for any kind of water source; now seeing a herd of giraffes moving north across the dry savanna. Mokha said, "I'm so thirsty."

As if they weren't exhausted enough after three days on the run, thirst also draining what little energy they had.

Namor: "We'll find something." Looking down at the dry country below, wishing it would rain. He said, "Let me know when you want me to take over, so you can get some rest."

Mokha: "I'll let you know."

They had enough food supplies but couldn't provision water so easily. Badly in need of sleep too, taking turns in the pilot's seat so the other could get some rest, since the Leadership jumpers began chasing them relentlessly three days ago. The Leadership was based in Antarctica, but systematically patrolled every sector of the globe. The Leadership was led by a woman named Sophus.

Some time passed as they flew over the vast expanse of savanna, cruising at a high rate of speed when a hard, icy-cold female voice on the radio penetrated the cabin:

_"All puddle jumper units still out – you're long past due. Time is running out to come back without repercussions. All units must return immediately or face severe penalties."_

There were others, too, out there on the run, Namor and Mokha's friends, thirteen other jumpers with varying numbers of Lanteans, originally forty-eight but now down to thirty-eight Lanteans altogether, singles like Upendra, Mizrak, Rudra and Swara ... but they'd mostly left as couples: Nin-Gal and Triokesh, Kalinda and Tappan, Charak and Sunitra, Prem and Lipanannah and all the rest – all their best friends were also on the run.

Mokha said, "Lipanannah's two months pregnant."

Namor: "I know." He hoped things would remain stable for Lipanannah.

"You heard?

"I heard. Prem told me before we left."

"Oh." Besides Sunitra, Lipanannah was one of Mokha's best friends.

Namor and Mokha's main goal, besides not getting caught, was to contact and meet up with their fellow fugitives. Something unique about Namor and Mokha's jumper: it was the only one with a ZPM on board, taken without permission and that was a major reason the Leadership wanted them all back.

Again, the hard voice of Sophus over the radio:**_"_**_We are officially notifying all of you that the Leadership lost one of our own jumpers yesterday, in an accident while chasing one of you. We'll all feel the loss, losing the fine pilot and co-pilot who were killed in the crash. Their names were Rakesh and Naval."_ There were a few moments of silence as the intended effect sank in for all listeners. _"We have a good idea of who's responsible."_

Mokha telling Namor, "It's not like I shot 'em down. Is it my fault they don't know how to fly?"

"If only they could appreciate your innocent intentions."

"Oh, the hell with them. Three more days and they'll be gone, right?"

The radio transmission continued:**_"_**_Everyone must return to base at once. We know some of you are under the impression we intend to leave Earth on the planned departure date, in order to make the best of our optimum travel window, and that all you must do is outlast us. But this is not true. Until an accounting is accomplished, we will not be leaving."_

Another break in the transmission, some time passed as they reflected on the Leadership message. The two traveling at high speed for a time in relative silence, watching a herd of gazelles running down below on the parched savanna and seeing another lightning strike to the northeast. Then came another radio transmission with some devastating news:

"_We have just received some new information._" There was a brief pause. _"We are sorry to have to deliver some very unfortunate news. It has come to our attention that one of your jumpers was involved in a deadly accident while trying to outrun Leadership trackers and suffered a fatal loss. Yes, it's very unfortunate, but you've now lost two of your own: the jumper with Prem and Lipanannah aboard crashed approximately nineteen hundred kilometers north of base. They did not survive the crash. In all sincerity we extend our deepest sympathies –_ _however, the responsibility is yours, you have no one to blame but yourselves."_

Namor sucked in his breath.

Gut-wrenching pain on Mokha's face, she cried out, "Oh no!" Shocked beyond comprehension, "Oh God, no!"

Namor reaching over to comfort her.

Mokha: "No no no no no. This can't be!" She was completely rocked by the news, Namor feeling the devastating sadness too, as tears bean to fill Mokha's eyes, trying to fight them off. Choking up, she managed to say, "I just talked to Lipanannah three days ago ..."

Namor: "I know, and Prem told me everything was fine."

Mokha almost overcome with grief, letting the aircraft dip a bit, close to losing control and Namor took over from the co-pilot's seat and set the jumper down in a dusty, desolate, well-hidden spot as they both got out of the jumper.

Trying to get some control, Mokha taking deep breaths and whispering an ancient mantra, _Look within, awaken, rise,_ repeating it several times until Namor came to her side and held her close.

The shock of their loss was profound. If they were to stay on Earth after the majority of Lanteans left, well, the thirty-something in their group were all each of them had, they had each other and nothing else and now two of them were gone – not to mention that Lipanannah was expecting a child.

Mokha moving from Namor's embrace, pacing and pacing the ground then stopping; she seemed to lose her balance and might have fallen if Namor hadn't run to catch her, both of them now holding each other again, until Mokha looked at Namor and said, through choked-up stops and starts, "Wait. Wait a minute – how do we know it's true?"

Namor: "Well ..." thinking it over, "they know we'd verify it ourselves sooner or later. We can try raising their jumper but ... I suspect they're telling the truth."

Both of them distraught but they began talking about the friends they'd lost, the sadness they felt made a little better by sharing some memories of Lipanannah and Prem from years ago. But after a while, Namor couldn't avoid the reality: "They won't let us go. They're not going to give up."

Mokha: "They want their ZPM."

Namor: "You know there's more to it, it's not just that."

Mokha: "Yeah, I suppose." Not sure she wanted to start on that subject.

Namor thinking for a minute, then said, "When we make the rendezvous, we'll see what the others think. We should leave soon – it's not safe here in daylight."

They talked about cloaking issues and about the route they'd take to get to their rendezvous hideout. They'd leave soon, but first Namor walked a few steps away from their jumper, facing west, scooping some dirt from the ground and tossing it in the air as part of an old Lantean ritual, following the custom when someone they held close had died. Mokha joined him, quietly reciting the words customarily spoken as part of the ritual, which were lines from an old Lantean poem:

_When the thread that binds doth break, _

_And the source of all light beckons, _

_We bid thee farewell, old friends, _

_Bid thee fly home, dear ones, _

_Bright children of the universe, old friends, _

_Farewell. _

Just like Mokha, Namor trying to keep from hitting bottom. He asked, "You alright?"

Mokha didn't answer, both of them quiet for a minute. Her voice raspy, Mokha said, "I meant what I said yesterday. I won't let them take me alive."

Namor: "Don't talk like that." Turning toward her, "I never should've pulled you into this."

Mokha: "You didn't pull me into anything, I knew what I was getting into."

Namor: "They wouldn't have found us at all today, if I hadn't wanted to stop northeast of the silver lake and try to demonstrate making bronze weapons to those human primitives. It's _my_ fault."

Mokha: "No, I wanted to help as much as you did."

Namor dejected but trying to maintain his composure, now walking to the jumper to check the calculation tables for planning their route to the place they'd meet the others in their group.

Some Lantean history: it was ten thousand years ago, in retreat from their war with the Wraith, that Ancient-Lanteans had come in jumpers through the Stargate to Earth. They weren't sure they'd stay, and when they found the planet still very primitive – no agriculture, no towns – they split into three groups: one group, including Merlin and Morgan La Fey, favored ascension and went off on their own to pursue that goal. The largest group, the one controlled by the Leadership, planned to move on through the Stargate to another planet.

The smallest group, comprised of just thirty-six Lanteans, were not ready to ascend but still considered staying, though anyone who stayed would be on their own, and without much technology it wouldn't be what you'd call a _comfortable_ world. Nevertheless, the thirty-six asked for time to explore and make up their minds.

The Leadership, represented by a tough, hard-driven Lantean named Sophus, told them: "If you stay, we insist you keep the technology to a minimum and make every effort to neither disrupt nor impede the natural development of Earth's primitive species."

Non-interference with the development of other species was a standard Lantean world-view. However, the group of thirty-six didn't agree; they planned to help human primitives and saw the Leadership as inflexible.

Sophus had one more thing to add: "If you decide to stay you can keep your jumpers, but no ZPM's." 

What?! They were astounded. No ZPM's?

Sophus: "Our ZPM's are limited, and until we are in a position to produce more, we're not about to part with one for every little group that wants to split with us. It's not fair to the majority."

The group of thirty-six decided to stay on Earth, but it wasn't as simple as that: they took a ZPM. When the Leadership found out it was missing, all hell broke loose. Things escalated, neither side would give in; nobody really wanted a war but that's pretty much what it became.

While Namor worked on calculations for their route to the rendezvous point, Mokha drew a packet of old pictures from her pocket. The first was a picture of herself, her best friend Sunitra, Namor, Lipannah and Prem, Jagadish and Minussa, Ryn-dar and his brother Triokesh, Zichron, Aaratrika, Minussa and Nin-Gal. Namor, age eleven, was the oldest, Nin-Gal the youngest, just eight years old.

The next picture showed Namor a couple of years later, up on a stage in front of a group of the above-mentioned children and others, performing a kind of Lantean magic act. On the bottom Namor had written, "The Caged Beasts," a droll reference to Professor Zinn's experiment involving the children. Mokha had crossed out _Caged_ and replaced it with _Cagey_. Mokha smiled. _Cagey Beasts_.

She pulled out another picture, this one showing thirty-six teen-age Lanteans in a large group-portrait photograph, Namor again the oldest at seventeen, Nin-Gal again the youngest at fourteen. They were the exact same group who now planned to stay together on Earth and help human primitives evolve a civilization. In the center-front of the portrait picture stood Professor Zinn, their teacher and guide for that group during those years. They'd all been part of an experiment on Lantea, under the direction of Professor Zinn, to study their potential for ascension. Their mantra: Look within, awaken, rise.

Namor joined her and saw the group-portrait picture. "Do you ever think Zinn's experiment did something to us?"

Mokha: "What d'ya mean?"

Namor: "You know. That Zichron's a classic pyromaniac. Ryn-Dar's a pathological liar. Minussa ... well, she always means well. Just the obvious, that we're a group of liars and thieves. Thirty-six discipline cases."

Mokha: "You're exaggerating. Anyway, who are you calling a liar?"

"Siddhran, for one."

"A liar, maybe, but a good marksman."

"Tappan and Druve are ex-prisoners. Ryn-Dar and his brother were probably behind the Alpha Antwi riots. Although Kalinda had nothing to do with it, I'm certain." Giving Mokha a hard gaze. "Shobhana-Ur, teller of tall tales. Shall I go on?"

Mokha: "So some of them have a little trouble with self-control. That doesn't mean anything." Looking away, she asked, "And me?"

Namor, smiling, "You're an idealist. Very dangerous."

"Yeah? What about you?"

"I'm an idealist too."

"Wrong. What you are is the king of exaggerations."

"Hmmm. Am I? Jagadish once pulled a knife on Siddran when his back was turned. If you ever cross him, don't turn your back on him. We're misfits. And why? Because Professor Zinn programmed something into us, all of us, so it's not our fault and we're not bad people but I'm just facing the truth, that we're _misfits_."

Mokha thinking it was true that the group had a reputation for being off-kilter, it couldn't be denied. But she didn't believe it mattered, because she had faith in each and every one of them. She said, "We have integrity. That's all that matters."

"Well, you're right about that." Namor thinking, Mokha certainly had integrity. He himself, he knew, wasn't beloved by the others, merely respected and tolerated as Mokha's partner, whereas Mokha was beloved by all in the group. Besides, she was right, because each and every one of them were true believers in the odd, revolutionary concept of helping human primitives.

He reached over and took the second picture from her, the one where Mokha had written on the bottom, "Cagey Beasts." The picture showed Namor-Ma in front of some of the thirty-six children from Zinn's group, performing a Lantean version of a magic trick: while apparently levitating a foot off the ground, he pulled an egg from behind the ear of one of the children, who happened to be Zichron.

Namor gave the picture back to Mokha and walked back to the jumper, to continue working on the calculations for their route back to their meeting place. He told Mokha, "I'm setting a conservative course."

Mokha lost in thought, murmuring, "O.K."

Namor the geographic navigator, trying to map a route beyond the reach of Leadership radar – they knew they'd be scouring wide areas, searching for them. He utilized an algorithm which would de-emphasize and disguise their speed and accentuate all factors which would facilitate blending in with their surroundings. Speed and even flight stability had to be sacrificed as he factored in everything that would help evade the Leadership's microwave-based radar technology, and reduce all forms of scanning detection.

His calculations complete, Namor-Ma stood looking out at the vast expanse of what's now known as the Sahara Desert. "O.K., I've got it. We'll end with coordinates 15.17.3. south, 31.21.4. west."

Mokha-Em paying no attention. Namor said, "Let's go find our friends."

o - o - o - o - o

INSIDE THE DINER just then, everything stopped. The game wasn't over, but sometimes there were tiny gaps in the akashic records, interrupting the reading and bringing things to a halt temporarily. With everyone now waiting for the chapter from the past to restart, Rek'iel for the moment came back to modern-day consciousness, though the scene from the past remained fresh in his mind and made him wonder if Mokha might be alive in the world today? It wasn't the first time he'd wondered – if she was alive, where was she now?

What a shock it would have been to learn that the woman he'd known long ago as _Mokha-Em_ had been very close to his headquarters under the Temple Mount just a few days earlier, and that following numerous incarnations, her name now was Nicole Jackson – daughter of the famous Dr. Daniel Jackson.


	11. Chapter 11

**11**

They were holed up in Jack's hotel room in Jerusalem. Jack told them, "I'm planning to go back into the tunnels."

Stefan: "It's too dangerous, isn't it?"

Jack: "Don't worry, Stefan. I wouldn't take you in with me again, even if you wanted to."

Daniel: "Will the Israelis give the O.K. for going back in?"

Jack: "Probably not. Got any ideas about getting in?"

Daniel said, "Reed told me he knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a secret entrance."

Jack: "If I get back in, I'll wish I had Sam and her resonance detection device, but even if she's feeling better, I guess it'd be too risky, bringing her in there."

Daniel and the others agreed, it seemed too risky to bring her. Daniel's cell phone buzzed – it was Sam calling from Larnaca Airport in Cyprus. She said, "Daniel, there's been a new development. It's Nikki."

Daniel: "What is it, Sam, what _about_ Nikki?" He could hear Teal'c in the background, telling someone, "Go easy. Maintain a level distance from the ground. Please, go easy."

Sam got out of the way of Teal'c and the airport medic personnel who were taking Nikki from the plane into the airport on a stretcher. When Sam didn't respond immediately, Daniel asked, "What _about_ Nikki? Who's that Teal'c's talking to?"

Sam: "He's talking to airport medic personnel, telling them to keep the stretcher level for Nikki. But she's O.K., Daniel, Nikki's O.K. They said her vital signs are good, though she's unconscious and won't wake up."

o - o - o - o - o

AT THE CELESTIAL DINER the game had re-set, the scene starting up again where they'd left off – in Africa, many thousands of years away in time.

After their friends Prem and Lipanannah were shot down, Namor-Ma and Mokha-Em had one distinct goal: to rendezvous with their friends at their secret hideout. It would take time though; they planned a long and arduous, zig-zag, planet-wide route designed to avoid Leadership trackers and confuse their scanners.

In Africa, the strategy had them traveling mostly at night, lying low by day, hiding out in caves in the densely forested terrain of what is now Angola, then through the Congo Basin, and through Algeria, Mozambique, Ghana, Tanzania, equatorial Guinea, Kenya and Ethiopia, flying at super-low speeds that were much harder for the Leadership to detect. It might take a couple of months, but this was by design.

Mokha: "The Leadership wants to leave Earth. If this chase takes long enough, they'll give up and leave."

Namor: "I know you believe that. I only hope you're right."

Mokha: "At least, takin' our time and disguisin' our route back to the rendezvous site should reduce the chance of leading Leadership trackers back there. You agree with that, don't you?"

Namor: "Yes, on that we completely agree. But my point is that reaching the rendezvous site undetected, no matter how long it takes, doesn't guarantee they'll be gone. Doesn't guarantee they'll ever leave."

Mokha with a bit of a scowl and a mocking tone, "Namor, you're a pessimist."

With such a long journey ahead, they had no intention of wasting valuable time: they scanned human DNA and compiled a complete model of the human genome. Then they initiated an anthropological study of Earth's "primitives," as they called humans. Using various scanning and telescopic devices, they studied many primitive tribes from a distance, including the Berbers in Tunisia, the Nuba in Sudan, the Tuareg in southern Sahara, the Ntomba Twa in Congo, the Yoruba and Igbos in Nigeria, the Khoikhoi in the Kalahari Desert, the Namaqua in Botswana and South Africa, the Mbenga and Baka in Cameroon, and the Rem en Khemi in Egypt. They were fascinated by their rudimentary approach to life and their child-like relationship to the universe. They witnessed tribes who worshipped graven images of gods, and tribes with spiritual gods; tribes that sacrificed their first born, and tribes who'd already, at that early date, begun to be enslaved by an alien race familiar in this galaxy: the Goa'uld.

Namor asked, "Do you see what I see? The Goa'uld are manipulating the DNA of these human primitives. Clearly, they're attempting to engineer a slave mentality."

Mokha: "We've seen it before, with all those cases of hemochromatosis." Her scanning indicated many human primitives had an excess of iron. "Many of these humans are essentially rusting from the inside."

Namor: "Yes, especially in conjunction with the myelomas. It's obvious what the Goa'uld have been trying to do."

Mokha: "They very idea of trying to engineer a _slave mentality_ – it's so _wrong_."

Namor: "It's wrong, and then if that weren't bad enough, they're no good at it."

The Goa'uld were notorious for their incompetent attempts at genetic engineering. They knew the Goa'uld wanted human primitives for their mines, and for that and other purposes they wanted more passive, more docile humans.

Namor said, "If they could, they'd engineer a human race who'd serve them with unquestioning obedience."

Mokha: "We could do something about it."

Namor: "You're right, but we can't stop now to force an encounter with the Goa'uld."

Mokha: "Yes, that'll have to wait. But we'll come back, agreed?"

Namor: "Agreed."

o - o - o - o - o

According to plan, they left Africa to travel far and wide, deliberately traveling a convoluted route which would make it even more difficult for Leadership trackers to follow. And they continued their anthropological studies, observing the Zinca in Guatamala, the Caribs in the Antilles Islands, and the Boruka in Costa Rica.

Several times they stopped and made direct contact with tribes, attempting to demonstrate new technology to the human primitives. In Brazil, they attempted to introduce the Bororo to the concept of the wheel, but that was unsuccessful. Peru's Bora tribe failed to comprehend a demonstration of combining copper and tin to make bronze; disappointing, because that method could bring these primitives out of the stone age. While visiting the Anastazi in the American Southwest, a relatively simple demonstration of planting maize and corn at least had mixed results. They left there feeling hopeful. But Namor-Ma and Mokha-Em found it interesting that primitives everywhere on Earth tended to see these demonstrations as miracles.

Mokha said, "Humans are incredibly naive."

Namor responded, "They'd be perfect for the Ori."

"Namor, can you please not mention the Ori ever again?"

They went north, visiting Labrador, then traveling west across Canada, stopping to study the Aleuts in Alaska when the jumper's center thruster acted up. It was no big deal, a ten-minute routine maintenance job would fix it, especially considering that Namor was a first class engineer. But working on it required turning-off the cloaking system, and half-way through the operation Mokha saw a red light on the alert panel. She yelled to Namor outside the jumper, "We've got a warning indicator here, could be Leadership trackers."

It was the worst possible time – Namor had to finish the job or they'd be sitting ducks. He worked fast, cutting his hand in the process and blood streaming out until he quickly wrapped it, but he got the jumper fixed and now the question was, was it too late to avoid detection? Though darkness was setting in and that would help, he could see lights up there in the distance. He called out, "They're here. Two Leadership jumpers." Just before Namor got inside he saw the trackers descend in their direction. "They've seen us. Let's get out of here."

She got them up steep and fast, banking left and accelerating full-speed ahead as they straightened out, flying purely by instruments in the dark for a long mile then banking right and down steep for another half mile before leveling off, their altitude under one thousand feet, lights turned off, using a pulse repetition frequency sonar-like system for guidance, though Mokha never did rely much on instruments when her pilot's intuition was in sync. Namor's hand bleeding but at least it was wrapped, his attention focused on the radar screen and the anti-gravitational sensors, scanning the trackers behind.

Namor: "I think they're two of the Young Zealots." Namor knew these might be some of the youngest trackers, who wouldn't give up easily, zealously pushing themselves to the limit searching for rebels because they wanted favor with the Leadership hierarchy.

Cavernous canyonlands ahead, now sighting a maze of canyons as they dove into one of them ... dangerous down here with the ceilings and visibility even more limited, but now Mokha turned-up the speed, maneuvering angles and tight turns, weaving with dizzying speed past jagged cliffs and crevices, icy spokes jutting out from the sides like pure glass knobs but hard as steel, several times scraping the sides, producing contact-explosions and damage, though nothing major enough to stop them. Mokha racing full-throttle for some distance ... but she couldn't quite lose 'em.

Mokha: "I'm gonna go down deeper."

They began their descent into the cavernous underworld, the canyon floor's location unknown, plunging into super thick fog, propelling deeper towards the bottom, towards alluvial stone bedrock, a steep descent, passing through linear to deep time geology into a cold hidden underworld, as the ocean of fog opened into a wide rock chamber, huge, but the walls of granite in front and back on all sides completely containing them. They stopped, holding their jumper there, suspended.

Mokha: "I'm not sure there's any way outta here."

Hanging suspended near the canyon floor, the trackers somewhere above them but the cloudy fog impenetrable and their instruments unreliable down here.

Namor: "We're in some kind of huge geologic rock vault." Namor trying to see anything up ahead of them. Something glistened; he pointed and asked, "What's that?"

Mokha saw it and answered, "Not sure." The jumper still holding fast near the bottom, hanging there steady and quiet, everything but essential power now turned-off. Then they found out: the trackers were dropping explosive ray bombs known as "sizzle bombs" which came drifting down through the fog like depth charges, two of them exploding close to Mokha and Namor's jumper. Their jumper shook. Mokha took them down still deeper, dropping just feet above the cavern's floor.

Namor said, "There's more than one way to cloak a jumper. Maybe I can tie our system into Earth's magnetic fields. If it's hooked-into Earth's planetary magnetosheath, it should disguise our jumper."

The same magnetic fields that make a compass point north produce a magnetosheath that radiates out from Earth, in the process protecting the planet from the worst of the Sun's harmful rays.

"It _should_ work," he said, "being as close as we are to Earth's magnetic north pole." Namor made some calculations, determined that they were indeed close enough to magnetic north, then began working on the conversion in their cloaking orientation, his work slowed down a bit by the thick bandaging on his hand. But it didn't take long, as Namor soon announced, "Got it. We're electro-magnetically invisible – for the moment. The question is, how long before they realize we're on a whole different _channel_."

Mokha: "Do we have sixty seconds?"

Namor: "I think so. Forty-five seconds, maybe sixty, max."

Mokha: "Then now's the time." Mokha mentally counting, one, two, three, then called, "Here we go."

She'd have to get the jumper up to a tremendous speed fast, continuously reversing direction at lightning speed while accelerating forward, virtually producing a "vertical leap" lift off,** w**hich was the hardest thing to do – but if Mokha ever felt any stress under pressure she didn't show it. She set the control matrix for maximum uplift in the minimum horizontal space; she had to compress all forward acceleration energy into the shortest possible distance to produce the "vertical leap" trajectory.

Namor thinking she was a brilliant pilot, with her natural feel for quantum-mechanical acceleration even under the most extreme conditions. Her deftness at the controls in every possible maneuver, her calm resilience never deserting her ... what no one doubted was that Mokha was probably the greatest pilot in Lantean history.

Within seventeen seconds she'd done it, got them up and past the trackers, now quickly accelerating beyond super-sonic speed, now surrounded by fog and cloaked and gone before they knew it. When the trackers finally saw the shadow of their jumper far ahead it was too late – the trackers were all spooled-up, they'd never get up to speed fast enough to follow.

Mokha and Namor were soon safe and secure and headed in the direction of Siberia.

o - o - o - o - o

They felt no jubilation after their escape, just relief, their mood sober and somber, and if that wasn't enough, after a brief pit-stop in Siberia Mokha got sick with some intestinal bug, Namor no better after his hand got infected from the wound when he cut his hand. After that stop in Siberia, they flew and kept flying and didn't stop until they got to India.

They flew and flew, hardly talking, recovering but still in a quiet, reflective mood. When they stopped near a lonely human primitive outpost bordering Tibet, Mokha asked, "What should I do if something happens to you? I don't mind being alone, I can handle that. Not that being alone is really my first choice, but, you know, I can handle it. The question is, Namor, should I ascend?"

Mokha thinking, it wasn't something they'd talked about a whole lot. She said, "We assume things, assume we're not ready, assume it's not for us ... but I wonder if things would change for me, if you were gone. You know?"

Namor answered quietly, "Uh huh. Yeah, I know." He didn't say much but understood, because he'd thought these same questions himself; but there were things they could accomplish on this planet, which they could never do once they ascended. And the truth was ... they only tended to speak of ascension when things weren't going well, and they were feeling down.

o - o - o - o - o

In Southeast Asia, they slowly recovered their health and good spirits, as they continued moving constantly and began conducting a zoological inventory of animals, plants, and birds for future reference.

Namor collected information about Earth's phylum of mammals, observing and cataloging bats and jackals, tigers, elephants, crocodiles, orangutans, scorpions, cobras and a multitude of others. However, he was surprised when his calculations showed that at least seventy-five percent of Earth's mammal species consisted of rats, mice and other rodents.

Mokha took a particular interest in birds, fascinated with exotic birds like hoopoes, puffins, king fishers but especially the birds of prey, like hawks, falcons and condors, all of which inhabited southeast Asia in those days.

She told Namor, "I clocked a falcon today, plummeting down from high-up at least ninety-five miles an hour!"

Namor: "Wow!"

Mokha: "Yeah, wow!"

Observing an eagle, she got teary-eyed at the sight of that kind of speed and natural, effortless gliding skill, telling Namor, "An eagle in flight is the most beautiful thing in nature. It's pure majesty in flight."

Namor understood how she felt, and observed to himself that the two of them worked so well together, their relationship a thing of beauty in its own right, when things were clicking. Indeed, wasn't there a bit of magic in their personal chemistry?

They flew back into Africa, towards wide open savannas and over the high canopy of dense rain forest trees to find their friends, until, at long last, atop the snows of Mount Kilimanjaro in present day Tanzania, they finally found the secret meeting site, naturally cloaked in layers of heavy mineral deposits and heavy snow. Mokha and Namor's jumper was seen from below, where some of their group stood watching and waiting for them outside on the mountain, others waiting inside where they'd blasted their jumper's pulsar-beam to carve out an interior with a sizeable living space inside the towering mountain. From the air, you couldn't see a thing.

The group of thirty-six Lantean rebels, minus Lipanannah and Prem who were lost in the crash, were reunited at last.

o - o - o - o - o

Barely out of their jumpers they heard them calling, "It's Mokha-Em! And Namor!"

Namor called back, "Zichron! Divikar! Dandak!" Namor also saw Tappan and Ryn-Dar, who specialized in genetics, and Triok and his brother, Triokesh, who were both engineers, and Charak the doctor, whose biologist wife was Sunitra, Mokha's best friend, and Diabekr, Siddhran, Jagadish, Druve and all the others, the men shaking hands, each already beginning to tell their horror stories of escape.

Meanwhile, Mokha's good friend Sunitra screamed, "Greetings, Mokha!"

Mokha shouting back, "Sunitra! Chapala! Aaratrika!" Joyous smiles and tears in their eyes, as Kalinda, Nin-Gal, Minussa, Soma, Chandrani, Swara, Shobhana-Ur and all her Lantean women friends came running towards her.

Sunitra: "I've missed you terribly!"

Mokha: "Me too. All I could think about was getting back together."

Sunitra and Nin-Gal, "Me too, Me too."

All the Lantean women hugged and cried, smiling and shouting greetings, congregating in groups, feeling like the reunion of all reunions, delirious happiness and exhausted relief, mixed with sadness too, to think of the ones they'd lost, not to mention seething with anger at the Leadership, all rolled together in one grand emotional release, each one hugging everyone else one after another. The reunion released emotions held back for weeks. All of them with tears of joy in their eyes but mixed with sadness for Lipanannah and Prem, the two lost in the crash.

Sunitra, Mokha's long-time best friend, spoke with sorrowful misery in her voice, "Lipanannah was two months pregnant."

"I know," said Mokha, "I can't believe it's real. Do we know how it happened?"

Soma: "Nobody knows yet."

They talked and talked about Lipanannah and Prem, and about Dhanu and Rajinder, who were captured by the Leadership early-on, and about Ambar and Chandani, and Surya, Drona, Kumar, Berossus, Vinay and Sloka, the eight who'd returned voluntarily a couple of days ago.

Sunitra: "Who can blame them?"

Aaratrika: "I'm _tired_ of being on the run, constantly hiding out."

Soma: "We're worn out. One narrow escape after another."

Nin-Gal: "All I know is, I can't take much more of this. I just want it over, one way or another."

Mokha: "But you're not giving up, are you?"

Nin-Gal: "No, it's not that. I'd just rather give them back their ZPM and be done with it."

Meanwhile, the men excitedly exchanging stories of close escapes and getaway routes. Divikar telling Namor and the others, "We can lose 'em, but they're finding us quicker each time."

Triokesh: "Do you think there's a problem with our QI systems?"

Namor: "No, otherwise there'd be no lag-time at all. It'd be instantaneous." Their cloaking technology depended on a version of quantum interference to disrupt the Leadership's gravimetric radar system. He said, "No, they're just getting better every day with the multi-dimensional simulation devices they're using to calculate our moves."

Divakar: "I thought they would've given up by now."

Dandak: "We _all_ did."

Ryn: "Look, we have to face it – they want their ZPM, and they won't give up until they get it."

Zichron: "No use putting it off and take the chance of somebody else getting hurt."

Tappan: "We ought to take a vote."

Namor: "We'll take a vote, but I wouldn't mind settling in a bit first." Pointing to a group of Lantean women, "Everybody's tired and hungry."

They joined the women, who were pulling out food and drink and music playing devices from the jumpers, which were lined up near the hidden opening to their mountain hideout. The group had to conserve water, but had plenty of an amber mead-like drink, everyone gathering around a light source structure that functioned much like a smokeless campfire. Some of them doing the Lantean equivalent of slow-dancing, others drinking mead while sitting in a circle, talking and enjoying the warmth and light and the feeling of companionship. But eventually all their talk went in one direction: the question of returning the ZPM, and whether or not to stay here at all.

Divakar: "Look, I like it here, but we've just lost two good people – we can't lose anyone else."

Namor: "The ZPM's not the only issue with them. Sophus can't stand anyone disagreeing with her. She claims they're concerned about upsetting the balance of nature, but _everything _upsets the balance of nature, even just _being_ _here_.

Mokha: "It doesn't matter anyway. We can't go back."

Sunitra was Mokha's best friend. She said, "She's right. They don't really want us. They'd take us back, but we'd be censured and restricted. We'd lose our freedom of movement."

Namor: "If we stay, we could fight the malaria that plagues so many humans here. We could teach them how to plant grain – I'm convinced humans have potential. It's a good planet."

They knew Earth wasn't the only planet out there with potential, but they'd already begun to feel a bond with humans.

Namor: "I tell you, we have the kind of knowledge that'll help. There's _good_ we can do here."

The fact was, Namor was as close to a leader as the rebels had. He believed in the cause of helping human primitives and wanted to rally his friends around that high-minded cause.

Aaratrika: "Living here won't be easy without a ZPM."

Minussa: "We'll manage. We'll work it out and fit in as best we can."

Nin-Gal: "I take _fitting in_ to mean we're to intermingle with the natives, eventually?"

Namor: "Well, let's have no illusions – we're never going to j_ust fit in_. But like Minussa said, we'll fit in as best we can."

A few had just about made up their minds but still needed a nudge one way or another to finally decide. Minussa asked one of the men, "Why do _you_ want to stay?"

Tappan: "I guess it's the challenge I want. I don't know ... maybe I'm really an adventure-seeker at heart."

Maybe some of them felt that, with the Wraith threat three million light-years away, a dull boredom would set in.

Tappan continued, "Besides, as we all know, not everyone plans to ascend."

Mokha said, "I won't go back." Mokha knew that for most of the Lantean women, adventure-seeking had nothing to do with it. She said, "I don't want to move again. This is a good planet and I've had enough of traveling and every couple of months someplace new, wandering like vagabonds. I want a home. I say let's stay here."

She paused, then added, "Besides, like Namor said, we could do some good here."

Kalinda: "I agree." Looking around at all the others, "And I think it's a beautiful planet, don't you?"

Nods and words of agreement from Chapala, Ryn-Dar, Siddhran, Charak, Soma and most everyone else, and Sunitra said, "Yes, it'll just take some time to have it feel like home."

Shobhana heard something in the distance and said "Shhh," pointing outside, again quietly telling them "Shhh."

Everyone listening ... it could've been aircraft – hard to say, it was far off in the distance and it was steamy outside, thunderstorms coming in that evening. But within a minute the sound faded and they all sighed with relief, smiling, about to get back to their talk when just then, from one of their own jumpers came another Lantean radio transmission. They heard Sophus say:

_"All units must return immediately. No punishments or strictures apply at this point, but our patience is not without limits. Come back while you still can."_

Without the slightest hesitation, Mokha said, "I'm ready to vote."

Namor said, "Alright, everybody. Let me get your attention."

Everyone ready to focus now, because this was it.

Namor: "On the issue of returning the ZPM: all those in favor of returning it, say _Aye_."

"Aye." "Aye." "Aye."

A chorus of "Aye's" all around, three voting against returning it but even those three still resigned to accepting the majority decision.

Namor: "That's it then – it's agreed. We return the ZPM tomorrow morning. Now, next question. Just to be perfectly clear – all in favor of staying on Earth ... _without_ the ZPM, say _Aye_."

Again, "Aye!" "Aye!" "Aye!" one after another as everyone said _Aye_, and a rousing cheer broke out along with shouts of "_Absolutely_!" "_Of course_ we're staying!" "_Absolutely_!"

When they quieted down, Namor told them, "Only one last order of business remains to decide: who should return the ZPM to base camp?"

Mokha volunteered, "I'll go myself."

But no one even took that seriously.

She said, "O.K., then me and Namor."

But no one took that very seriously either. There were numerous volunteers but they agreed on three jumpers, with Namor and Mokha in one of them, because she was the best pilot and Namor wanted to be with her, and Divakar and Soma, and Charak and Sunitra to go along as back-ups in their own jumpers in case things got volatile.

Happy with their decision but also a somber feeling floating through their midst, aware of the seriousness of their undertaking, and sadness too, for their fallen comrades.

They all talked for a time, but before heading off to sleep, Sunitra wanted to honor Prem and Lipanannah. With Charak by her side, she turned facing west, looking into the sky towards the constellation Pegasus and beyond, to the Pegasus Galaxy, then crumbling and throwing a handful of the mountain's metallic earth into the air and said, "We'll miss you, Lipanannah. We'll miss you Prem."

Everyone in the group repeating that in unison, then Sunitra chanting the traditional words with a voice full of emotion:

_When the thread that binds doth break, _

_And the source of all light beckons, _

_We bid thee farewell, old friends, _

_Bid thee fly home, dear ones, _

_Bright children of the universe, old friends,_

_Farewell. _

o - o - o - o - o

Darkness outside, the plan now set for tomorrow and everyone sleeping. But Mokha had her own plan: she stole away in the night towards their jumper, set the sound dampers on high and departed undetected.

Flying south quite some distance towards the Leadership base camp, thinking of what she'd say. Maybe simply, "This is Mokha-Em, requesting permission to fly into camp and return the ZPM." And what would they say? Though it wasn't so much what they'd say that concerned her, but what they might _do_. Making calculations, going over her options for escape routes in case she needed them, but one thing she knew: she wouldn't let them take her. If they tried to trap her or restrain her or bring her in ... well, it'd be over her dead body. But it shouldn't have to come to that.

In the darkness she couldn't see the forests of Tanzania and Madagascar down below but as time passed and dawn began to break, the Kalahari Desert and the dry terrain of South Africa became just barely visible. The Leadership had temporarily moved their base camp from Antarctica to Australia and she thought the safest route was south towards South Africa then southeast to Australia. As time passed, she decided it would be better to proactively tell the Leadership she was coming than have them pick her up on radar without warning, and then have them chasing her down. This way, they'd let her approach and there was a decent chance she could accomplish the drop without ever having to see them. Minutes away from her destination she set the channel on her radio and finally contacted Sophus: "This is Mokha-Em. I'm entering your air space and requesting permission to come in and return the ZPM."

Sophus responded, "Are you alone?"

"Yes, I'm alone. I intend to drop-off the ZPM and leave immediately, without further interaction."

Sophus hesitated, then answered, "There are other issues."

"We can resolve other issues at another time. Do I have your agreement?"

Quiet on the other end, Mokha waiting, then she told Sophus, "That's the offer, take it or leave it."

Sophus conferring with the rest of the Leadership, taking their time; then she answered, "We agree. You can use the landing strip we cleared on the north side of base camp."

Mokha: "Agreed." They asked for her ETA, she gave it and signed-off.

The Leadership quickly devised their own plan, though it would take some coordination and wouldn't be simple. They would try to intercept her further north, though with her arrival time coming up so soon, they'd have to rely on pilots already in the air, who happened to be rather young, inexperienced pilots.

Mokha knew they might be up to something, she wasn't naive and didn't trust Sophus in the slightest, already creating an alternate plan of her own to return the ZPM while avoiding them altogether. No way to eliminate the risk one hundred percent, but that's why she'd decided to go alone, because _she_ was the obvious and logical choice to return it, because she really _was_ the best pilot and why should anyone else be endangered? She knew how to handle herself, she ought to be able to pull it off.

Mokha thinking about how their group of thirty-six originally had more except that some had decided to return on their own soon after the Leadership came after them. She didn't much blame them, the ones who went back. Because no one who'd left the base camp had children, and if they were not to become a dying race it might become a matter of intermingling with these primitive humans, and not everyone wanted that. And whether by choice or ability, not everyone wanted to ascend, either. For herself, yes, she expected she would ascend someday. She'd been told she was a good candidate for ascension – she'd gone to a special school and received special training. A memory now arose and like a mystic prayer she repeated the mantra she'd been given, _Look within, awaken, rise_, _look within, awaken, rise_, _look within, awaken, rise_.

She thought about her relationship with Namor: It was complicated, no doubt about it, but she respected and cared deeply for Namor and thought she'd probably go through with their marriage plans.

Now checking coordinates, scanning every monitor screen and indicator until she saw it below – the unusual Australian rock formation the natives called _Uluru Rock_, where she planned to drop the ZPM. She was starting her descent when she heard a radio transmission – it was Sophus calling and telling her, "We see you on radar. When you reach base camp you can touch down on the north track and off-load."

Mokha: "I won't need to touch down. I'll use my cargo drop line."

No immediate response, then Sophus told her, "I don't recommend that. Dropping off a ZPM that way is too dangerous."

Mokha ignored her, wasn't planning to continue southeast and enter their air space at all; she'd stop here at _Uluru Rock_, put the craft into hover mode, set the cargo drop line and lower the ZPM to the ground atop _Uluru Rock_. Later, she'd tell them the coordinates so they could pick it up.

She got the jumper in position, hovering with the ZPM already loaded in place below the jumper, so the process would be automatic. Yes, the Leadership's radar would see her holding stationary here, but the drop wouldn't take long, maybe fifteen seconds, and ... and ... wait a minute! She saw something. Oh no! From the south she saw two jumpers approaching. Whoa, she thought, did these jumpers just happen to be out on reconnaissance? Or maybe they'd seen her on radar earlier than she thought they could? Either way, this could be trouble.

With the Leadership jumpers closing in quickly, Mokha completed the drop and was retracting the drop line ... when suddenly she heard the short stinging _zing!_ of a jumper's pulsar ray being fired in her direction and _zing!_ another one! Whoa, the hairs on her neck standing on end – that blast of pulsar rays came perilously close to _hitting_ _her_!

Mokha took off immediately, the trackers trailing her, Sophus yelling at her pilots, "Cease fire! All tracker units, _cease_ _fire_!"

Sophus was on a direct frequency to her pilots so Mokha couldn't hear her, Sophus yelling at them, "We want her _alive_, Mr. Garuda! You too, Mr. Aagam! Maintain lateral separation, approach carefully but _do_ _not_ _fire_!"

Mokha long gone from the ZPM drop location – zooming straight-ahead in a westward direction ... but now seeing one of her panel indicators blinking at her that said,_ Cargo Drop Line Engaged._ Mokha swearing to herself, "Oh, no. What the ..."

Checking everything, asking the computer, _Is the cargo drop line still engaged? _A response came, _Affirmative._ _Cargo Drop Line Engaged. Cargo Attached._ She could hardly believe it but now she faced a grim reality: not only was the cargo drop line still engaged, but the ZPM must also still be attached, dangling down below! She tried, more than once, but it wouldn't retract. Mokha thinking, Oh my God, but she had no intention of stopping now.

Sophus received information from her pilots; she said, "Mokha-Em, you need to come to a full stop and release the ZPM. Continuing flight in your present condition is a danger to us all."

Mokha: "I'm not stopping with those trackers on my tail. Tell your pilots to cease and desist following me, and we'll go from there."

Sophus: "As I see it, you're in no position to bargain."

Mokha: "No? Do you want your ZPM back or not?"

Sophus: "There's more involved here than the ZPM."

Mokha pausing several seconds, then told her, "We've always suspected that. But now you've confirmed it."

Sophus: "It's too dangerous, flying with the ZPM dangling like that! I don't have to tell you what could happen, do I?"

Mokha: "Maybe I should fly over your personal headquarters, so that if it explodes ..."

She let her words drift off. ZPM's were made of a crystal-like material not impervious to damage, but the ZPM was wrapped in cushioning material packed securely inside a titanium box. Mokha thinking, it should be O.K., it was secure enough as long as it wasn't directly struck and somehow_ ignited_.

Sophus shouting, "Mokha-Em! Don't force me to take extraordinary measures. I _demand_ that you stop, otherwise ..."

Mokha: "Otherwise?" In response, she ramped up her speed. She could rock that jumper; unleashing a cascade of classic aeronautic maneuvers was her stock-in-trade – but could she still manage that with a ZPM dangling below? She was gonna try. Following a crosswind up to cruising altitude, pushing past vector after vector – but the trackers still in sight, keeping up though now back a bit. She dove below in a clockwise spin designed to accumulate speed, getting underneath them, then almost instantaneously reversing into a counter-clockwise spin – do-able for good pilots like Mokha because Lantean puddle jumpers used anti-gravity propulsion that helped stabilize an aircraft moving at this kind of speed – if you knew what you were doing. Despite the ZPM issue, she was going to make them work to keep up and follow her. She accelerated, then turned hard to the right, slowed ever so slightly, dove a thousand feet in three seconds and again turned on the speed.

Unbelievably through all this the ZPM was still dangling underneath. By now she was over the ocean, the two hot-head Leadership trackers still trailing her though they'd fallen well behind. She was putting more distance between them, she might just be able to do it, if she could just keep ...

Then she saw it. From the horizon in the west, ahead of her, a dark gray wall of Leadership jumpers rising now and approaching. She saw dozens, hard to estimate, maybe _a hundred_ jumpers obviously designed to quickly blanket the air space and stifle any escape in that direction. She began to realize that the first two, who were always to the east of her, must have been part of the plan, to steer her west into this blanket of jumpers.

Again checking behind for the two who'd chased her here, but now she saw how terribly, terribly badly she'd underestimated their plan, because she saw _another_ wall of jumpers following her from the rear. Breathing out heavily – this wasn't looking too good. What did they really _want_ – to interrogate her, or use her as bait for the rest of her group? Or maybe just to make an example of her? The _evil_ she'd begun to associate with the Leadership made her shudder.

She saw Leadership aircraft now on all sides, surrounding her and aiming to force her down. Mokha had no space to move. She thought about setting back down, which would mean surrender, but didn't consider it very long. It was never gonna happen. She wouldn't do it, she _couldn't_ do it, because if they ever got hold of her they'd never let her go. She'd be trapped, like an animal in a cage.

She decided what she'd do – she'd fly straight _at_ them. If they didn't make way, or even if they shot at her, they'd risk having the ZPM explode and maybe risk getting themselves killed too. It ought to work, they'd _have_ to make way.

Making some final calculations for the angle of approach; setting the shields on maximum; reciting her mantra like a prayer, _look within, awaken, rise, look within, awaken, rise. _She began to accelerate and then ...

She went for it, flying directly west towards the center of the wall of jumpers. Sophus now calling out on the radio, "Mokha-Em, you _must_ come down! I _order_ you!" But Mokha kept on straight ahead at full speed, waiting for an opening, maintaining speed, flying straight ahead ... never expecting them to shoot at her.

It was one of the headstrong young hot-heads who'd shot at her earlier, probably the same one. The pulsar ray blast came in low, didn't hit her jumper – it hit the ZPM. No way to know if that was his intention, but when it hit – that was it. Just like that. The blast was loud and rocked the sky, a conflagration spewing smoke and mangled jumper parts, a shower of debris shooting into the sky and falling into the ocean.

In her final scant seconds of life, Mokha's last thoughts were of Namor.

o - o - o - o – o

AFTER Namor and the others found Mokha-Em gone and the ZPM missing, and the shocking reality of what happened became known, a mind-numbing sadness set in followed by an overwhelming disgust with the Leadership and a thirst for revenge.

Siddhran: "Being shot down in battle would be something we'd understand, it's at least a _respectable_ way to die. Getting shot down by your own people is something else again."

Sunitra, Mokha's long-time close friend, told Namor, "Sophus is responsible. I say we go after her. A life for a life!"

Jagadish: "Give her _exactly_ what she gave Mokha!"

Druve, "Get her!"

Tappan: "Destroy her!"

Ryn-Dar: "I'm ready to go, who's with me?"

Jagadish: "I'm with you. I want to be the one who puts a stake through her heart ... but I plan to torture her first."

Namor felt the venom in their words and saw the thirst for blood on their faces.

Druve: "Aye, kill her as slowly and painfully as possible!"

Divakar: "Pull out her eyes!"

Triok: "Cut out her tongue!"

Triokesh: "Smash her brain into a thousand pieces!"

Shobhana-Ur: "Smash it!"

Diabekr: "Teach the Leadership a lesson they'll remember, for a thousand years!"

Namor now saw the group whipping themselves into a frenzy, reverting to a pack of wolves, snarling with fangs barred.

Minusa: "Are you with us, Namor? Sophus needs to _pay_ for this!"

Jagadish: "And the Young Zealots too."

Zichron: "Aye! We have to get them too."

Charak: "Teach them a lesson they'll remember!"

Minussa: "Aye!"

Kalinda: "Aye!"

They were sick of the whole Leadership, pumping themselves up, directing their words at Namor and looking for his confirmation.

Charak: "Namor, what say you?"

All eyes turned to Namor, everyone waiting for him to voice his approval and jump into this. Instead, he told them: "I need half an hour, alone, to think, to plan." He left everyone standing there and walked off by himself.

Now alone, Namor's mind was twisted and wracked with loss, every feeling in his body and soul cut-up and ripped in pieces. Wishing he'd been with her and, if that's how it had to be, that they'd met their end together. Because his plan for staying here on this planet had always meant sharing a life with Mokha-Em, and now ...

He fell into a reverie of shadowy thoughts and memories of Mokha, but eventually faced what he'd already always known: she wouldn't have wanted revenge. It's not what she stood for. She believed in forbearance, compassion, and, as the Lantean expression went, _spreading the light_.

He realized the group would want to go to their jumpers and go straight after the Leadership; he'd have to stop them, somehow. There was nothing else to do. It wouldn't be easy though – they were worked up, delirious with anger, they'd go after him or go through him to try to right this wrong. If he tried to stop them things would get ugly and they might take him down ... but he'd have to try.

What to do? He decided on a plan to keep them from using their jumpers, and went to work.

Namor's face was ashen when he rejoined the others, and right away he felt the tension, like a high-tension wire. He saw that some of them already had weapons in their hands. Namor tried to plan and see how they'd come at him, realizing they must already know about their jumpers.

Jagadish spoke up first, "You're not with us, are you?"

Namor: "No, I can't join you."

Ryn-Dar: "We thought so, especially when we realized you'd blocked our jumpers."

"Yes, I admit it. I thought it best." He'd reprogrammed the transport-zip device for activating their jumpers; he held the device in his hand.

Zichron: "We want that transport-zip. Have no doubt, we'll get it from you."

Namor told them, "Mokha wouldn't have wanted revenge, and I won't let her memory be transgressed."

Jagadish, Zichron and some of the others moved towards him, "Give us the zip."

Namor waving a weapon, "You'll have to go through me. You'll have to kill me."

Jagadish: "We have no problem with that. We want that transport-zip."

He always knew this group could turn on you in a flash, he knew they'd have no problem getting at him and taking him down. But he had no intention making it easy or bending to them.

Zichron: "Are you going to give us the zip?"

Namor: "No."

Jagadish: "We'll get it one way or another ... I won't ask you again."

Watching them finger their weapons, Zichron moving in. He knew they wanted action, not words. He needed to_ do something_.

As they moved within range Namor stood forward and leaned out towards them, producing the incredible illusion of levitating six inches to a foot off the ground ... while simultaneously reaching quicker than the blink of an eye behind Zichron's head – then pulled an apple from behind Zichron's ear! Held it up, brushed it off, and took a big bite from the apple – it was his old childhood magic trick, used to perfect effect, making them stop for a moment because it was so out of place, the element of surprise so potent, it made everyone stop and shift gears. Then too, this was the very same group who, as children, had seen him perform the same trick years ago. Seeing it here now, after so many years, created a peculiar disjuncture that momentarily put them back on their heels. It's all Namor needed.

He yelled at them, "Would ya listen to me?! Nobody here seems to remember, that Mokha never even wanted to take that ZPM. She didn't want anybody fighting over a ZPM, and she was one of the three who voted _against_ taking it! Don't you remember that?!"

Now at least he had them listening, as they backed-off a bit. Not yelling now but speaking forcefully, "That's right, Mokha wasn't in favor of taking the ZPM, remember? She didn't want the damn ZPM, she was one of the few of you who voted _against_ it, but she accepted the majority decision. And though it was more dangerous to have the ZPM on board her jumper, she volunteered. That wasn't _my_ doing – it was _her_, being her usual selfless self, even though she'd voted _against_ taking the ZPM."

A murmur of acknowledgement went through the group. "Look, none of us has any love for the Leadership, going way back as long as any of us can remember, and that included Mokha, but she never wanted to start anything with them nor would she go along with any kind of retribution."

Most of them nodding in grudging agreement. "And we all know Mokha was no saint, by any means, but she expected to ascend some day. Is there anyone here who doesn't know that?"

They all knew.

"Who remembers the mantra?"

Sunitra: "_Look within, awaken, rise_."

"Yes, that's right. She believed in our _mission_ here, to give human primitives a chance to adapt and survive, because let's face it, right now they're barely in survival mode. They need a foothold and we have the chance to help, by planting the seeds of civilization. You want to honor Mokha, and not have her death be in vain? Then focus on our mission here on Earth. Let's help the primitives survive and prosper – that's what she would've wanted."

They were quiet. Namor thought that was a good sign.

Zichron asked, "Then what about the Leadership?"

Namor: "Now that they have their ZPM, or at least now that they know we don't have it, the Leadership will leave. All we have to do is let them leave."

He looked over the group, "What say you?" A last look over their faces and into their eyes. "It's the best way to honor her memory. What say you?"

They appeared to take heed. They took a vote, which carried unanimously in favor, and it was thenceforth so agreed.

o - o - o - o - o

IN THE CELESTIAL DINER, the scene suddenly dissolved. For the onlookers, there was the feeling of a movie ending and the lights coming up in a theater, while the participants, Rek'iel, Mar'tan and their opponent, the spokeswoman for the Others, awoke from a trance-like state with visions of their past-lives dissipating like dreams upon awakening. But one more thing would follow: the Keeper of the planet's akashic records would now render his judgement.

The Records Keeper stood before the crowd in the diner. He looked old and frail, yet spoke out clearly, with strength in his voice and firm resolve:

"Who knows the difference between Fate and Destiny? My own mentor, so long ago, explained how Fate, whether known to us or not, rules our lives, shaping them as inevitably as death. And yet it is also given us, in some small portion, a chance to create our own Destiny, and therein lies the most essential factor: Courage.

"Now, our Game of Destiny requires a decision: Who shall be declared the victor? The essential criterion we use is based on measuring the courage our participants showed in their lives before ascension. That is why it isn't for _me_, a mere Records Keeper ..."

The Records Keeper took a moment to reflect, then continued, speaking slowly and deliberately: "It isn't _for_ _me_, a mere Records Keeper, to judge whether anyone's actions are good or bad, right or wrong – morality is a matter for one's Maker. But other judgements are rightfully placed within my authority, most importantly questions of valor, fearlessness, and courage. Yes, there are many ways to judge a life."

The Records Keeper was old and wise, an _old soul _already, even before he ascended. He said, "I have considered the records carefully. First, what shall we say of the Lantean leader known as Sophus? The life of a leader isn't easy; _someone_ has to be a voice of authority, the one who enforces the rules, because otherwise, what is there but chaos? During her life before ascension, Sophus did what was required of her – she played her role."

"On the other hand, in Maghav Rek'iel's former incarnation as Namor-Ma, Namor's demonstration of courage was supremely notable. He held certain principles, and courage fortified his stand behind those principles. Under severe pressure and facing the threat of death, his courage remained constant, as he refused to seek revenge even under the most demanding circumstances. Consequently, after carefully considering the akashic records, I have made my decision: the victory is awarded to Maghav Rek'iel."

Maghav Rek'iel had won. The Keeper's decision was final and beyond appeal, and Maghav Mar'tan and all their associates were included in the decision. The gathering at the diner broke up; the Maghavs were free to go.

The victory was a news story that no TV news station would cover, but the Maghavs, having won their _Game of Destiny_, would now have a free hand to carry on their work unimpeded by the Others in the Ascended Realm. No one could stop them.


	12. Chapter 12

**12**

**August 30, 2023.** Rek'iel's experimental process to produce beings who were _ascended-in-the-flesh_ had by now been perfected, though it required an artificial power source; Rek'iel and Mar'tan could not themselves directly "ascend" others. Nevertheless, not even two days after their victory, Rek'iel and Mar'tan were already fully immersed in mass ascensions of about seventy-five new believers each day.

Concerns about the artificial process, which depended on etheric energy funneled through the world grid, were raised by Maghav Mar'tan, but blithely dismissed by Rek'iel. When Mar'tan suggested that Jerusalem's brief electrical power outage early this morning was connected with the grid, Maghav Rek'iel stoutly disavowed any connection.

Mar'tan had faith in Rek'iel and accepted his answers, and together the two pressed on. The ascensions increased to ninety, then one hundred per day, and would have increased even more if the Maghavs weren't working on multiple fronts: they went out preaching to the multitudes, finding thousands of converts and potential candidates for ascension; they initiated a search for the defective creatures who'd escaped from the tunnels; and they sent the group of five newly-ascended beings inside the tunnels close to their headquarters, to install gas lines capable of releasing deadly nerve gas if unwanted intruders ever approached there again.

o - o - o - o - o

9:38 AM. At Jack and Daniel's hotel, the power outage began with a flicker of lights, oscillating between on, off, on, off; they stayed off for awhile then came back on and stayed on, until another outage hit the city later in the day. They didn't know it yet but, down below on street level, the electric power outage blanketed the city, traffic lights going out as horns blared and traffic began to bottle up. Elevators in office buildings either stopped working or hesitated before switching to emergency power mode.

Jack, like a quarter million other city residents, wondered what was going on? "Did the city forget to pay the electric bill?"

Stefan: "Infrastructure's going to hell."

Major Johnson: "Just like everywhere else these days, I guess."

Jack: "As if we don't have enough to deal with here."

Stefan: "You mean like all those _devotees_ of Rek'iel and Mar'tan, swarming in from everywhere?"

Jack: "That's exactly what I mean. The Armenian Quarter, the Muslim Quarter ... you can't go anywhere in the Old City without seeing them _on patrol_. They consider themselves some kind of _citizen army_."

Major Johnson: "Jack, I gotta get some paperwork from my room."

Jack: "O.K., but come right back. I wanna be on the road by ten at the latest."

Daniel had been quiet, staring out the window. Jack now directed his words at Daniel: "Major Johnson and I are gonna be headin' out to a meeting with Global Forces representatives. Can't say how long we'll be gone."

Daniel didn't respond or even acknowledge he'd heard. Jack asked, "Daniel, anything new with Nikki?"

Daniel roused himself and turned around. "She's still unconscious on Sandrine's living room sofa."

"But her vital signs are O.K.?"

"Yes, but she's unresponsive. It's the same as that last time this happened. But there's no flights open for two days, so I guess I'm staying here for now."

"What about the ferry?"

"I'd still have to wait until tomorrow afternoon." Daniel may have looked calm, but inside he felt a knot in his stomach from the stress and strain of concern for Nikki. He told them, "Sandrine said she's still unconscious but stable and there's nothing I'd be able to do there." He returned to gazing out the window, telling them, "If there's still no change after twenty-four hours she's supposed to call me."

Jack's phone buzzed; it was Global Forces. "Alright. Yes. You'll let me know? Alright, I'll be available." Jack told the others, "That's just great, my meeting's cancelled."

Now Daniel's phone buzzed – it was Teal'c. "Daniel Jackson, I have just arrived at the Tel Aviv airport."

Daniel: "You're back? But you were supposed to stay there in Cyprus with Nikki and Sam!"

"Sandrine insisted that I go. She said she had things in hand and that I would _only be in the way_, as she put it. She insisted, so I felt I had no other choice than to comply, and return to Jerusalem."

Daniel not happy. "I'll come pick you up. Have you been through customs yet?"

"No, it will take some time to accomplish that."

"That's O.K., we'll meet you outside the main terminal." They discussed specifics for meeting and signed off.

Daniel said, "Jack, I'm gonna go pick up Teal'c at the airport. I'm no good here, sitting around waiting for a phone call."

Jack: "O.K., but let Reed do the driving. He's down getting the car now, he was gonna drive me to my meeting. Just tell him I said it's O.K."

Stefan said, "I'd like to come with you, if that's alright."

Daniel told him it was O.K. and the two of them went down to find Reed. They were already gone when Jack's phone buzzed again – this time it was Carter, calling from Cyprus. Jack said, "Carter – how are you feeling?"

"I'm alright, General. Much improved, actually."

"How's Nikki?"

"She's O.K. Sandrine's downstairs with her – I'm upstairs watching the news – but Sandrine told me Nikki's come out of the deep unconscious state she'd been in and is now in an ordinary sleep state, and she expects her to come out of it very soon. So, I'm resting easier about the situation now."

Jack: "And you're feeling better?"

Sam: "Yes, noticeably better. Being on this island seems to be doing me some good. But General, I called my people in Colorado earlier, and they told me they're getting some outrageous readings from the full-scale fractal nonlinear resonance technology we're experimenting with back there. You remember we've been ... "

"I remember. What've you got now?"

"Well, we're detecting a tremendous amount of activity, and nobody knows what to make of it."

"What do you think it is?"

"It's hard to correlate this with anything in normal experience. The phenomenon seems to mimic anti-gravity waves or _anti-gravitons_, if such particles really exist. Last year people at CERN in Switzerland made the claim they'd produced gravitons and anti-gravitons for the first time with the Large Hadron Collider, though of course at those minute levels particles like that are harmless. But what we're seeing now has such tremendous force, more like the build-up you'd expect with an earthquake, so ..."

Jack interrupted, "But you're saying the activity is world-wide, right, and nobody's safe anywhere?"

"That's right, I'm afraid so."

"What kind of magnitudes are we talkin' about?"

"Magnitude 10, maybe higher."

"I thought an 8 was the highest we've ever had ... isn't it?"

"That's true ... so far. But what I'm saying is ..."

"But Carter, you're not even sure what it is, right? Could be ... could be anything, couldn't it?"

"That's right. Because if it's gravity waves we're detecting and if we see them followed by continuous bursts of anti-graviton particles then ..." as Sam's phone faded in and out, "... and if that's followed by a corresponding spike in ..." as Sam's phone again faded out ... " So anyway, what we'd like to do, sir, since you're ..." as her phone cut out for good, and after that Jack couldn't get a signal.

o - o - o - o – o

10:17 AM. Daniel and Stefan were en route to the airport in Tel Aviv, Reed driving, making their way through Jerusalem's suburbs and out to the highway. Reed lit up a cigarette. Daniel said, "I didn't know you smoked, Reed."

"Only occasionally, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel knew what the problem was: since their adventure down in the tunnels, Reed had been a little shaky, and it wasn't surprising. Everyone in the group had been affected, one way or another.

As they drove they came in view of the River Jordan, where they saw a large crowd of people gathered on the river's shore. Reed slowed down, all of them having a look.

Daniel: "Big group, isn't it? What's going on?"

Reed: "It's Maghav Rek'iel's group. His _devotees_, they call 'em."

They saw the crowds and couldn't help being curious. Reed was still driving slow and said, "Some kind of initiation ceremony, I suppose. That's the area where John the Baptist used to preach and baptize the faithful. Or that's the belief, anyway."

Daniel asked, "Reed, can you pull over for a minute. We're early for picking up Teal'c – let's have a look." Reed pulled off the highway and stopped, the engine still running.

It was quite a scene. By the thousands they came to the banks of the River Jordan to hear him speak. Like some ancient Biblical scene, the total immersion ceremony was completed and a hush came over the crowd as Maghav Rek'iel addressed them from the stage in a booming voice:

"My loyal followers, seekers, newcomers, welcome. You are here today, not merely because you _chose_ to be here, but because you were meant to be here. It isn't a matter of chance or coincidence but the workings of a plan – only you're unaware of it."

Maghav Rek'iel had been pacing the stage and now stopped. "My brothers and sisters, I'm saying there's absolutely no such thing as _coincidence_. Enlightened beings know the rules and laws which underlie what we call _coincidence_, because such laws _do_ exist, and you shall know them after you join our _New Covenant_."

Rek'iel saw interest on some faces, puzzlement on others. He had the idea they needed a miracle to help them believe. He looked up towards the heavens, waved his hand as if dismissing someone, then just like that ... Rek'iel disappeared! One minute standing there, the next gone, vanished! People gasped and turned their heads looking for him, but he was gone – until he reappeared below the stage a minute later. Amid the crowd's wild murmur of astonishment, he walked back up to the podium. People were completely amazed!

Mghav Rek'iel told them, "Invisibility is nothing very difficult for us. And good people, you shall have more physical strength, you shall see further and more clearly, distinguish sounds at a much further distance, and you shall _think_ _faster_ – you will be astonished, at first, at the prodigious memory capabilities available to you! In every way, you will, in fact, go far beyond what is _merely human_!"

He paused, feeling a charge like electricity surge through the crowd. Maghav Rek'iel described certain other special powers, yet soon returned to his central message, focusing on a new form of surviving death.

Rek'iel told them, "Truly, I tell you, when you join us in our New Covenant you shall live for many hundreds of years. You shall age very slowly, until, at just the right time, you exit your old life and enter a new physical body. You shall _create_ your new body. So there is no misunderstanding ... you shall _grow your own body_, and enter that body at the time of your own choosing."

The Maghav walked the length of the stage, to one end and then the other, trying to connect with everyone in that vast throng.

"Yes, _at the time of your own choosing_, though a _calculus_ helps us know the ideal time. But this is the question you must ask yourselves: are you really content to be slaves, to be _merely human_? Humankind was never meant to be the end, but rather a bridge to a higher level of existence. Once you join our New Covenant, you shall each become fountains of life, and truly pure of heart – and thus does the revolution begin."

The Maghav looked over the overflowing crowd, absorbing the intensity of their attention and reflecting it back at them.

"Good people, despite all my reassurances, many here today will hesitate to join us. But why? Why should you be afraid of your own potential? Is it because we are, after all, merely human, _all too human_, as they say? Yes, that's what they say, that's what people think. But truly I say unto you, this thinking is long outdated and unacceptable. Because there is nothing to fear. Because after you join us, you shall move beyond ordinary human limitations, elevated to a sublime and lofty state."

The multitude hung on his every word, transfixed with the prospect of longer lives and special powers. And there were questions from the crowd.

Rek'iel answered, "The question has been asked, at such time as I eventually choose to take a new physical body, will I remember events of my past life? Will I remember friends and family and loved ones? The answer, my brothers and sisters, is yes. After the first few years of childhood, all knowledge of loved ones and the details of your past life will return, available to you just as ordinary memory is available to you now. You shall move beyond human limitations, as you awaken and transcend a narrow understanding of right and wrong. Truly, you shall awaken to the spirit, beyond good and evil."

Murmurs of assent came from the crowd. They were roused, but now Maghav Rek'iel changed gears, telling them, "I must mot mislead you, so be forewarned: The substantial powers you shall possess are to be used for the benefit of all human-kind. Your duty is to become exemplars on Earth, saints and heroes and heroines after your acceptance in our New Covenant as _awakened_ _masters_ _of_ _spirit_."

Rek'iel tried to gauge their level of commitment. Did they need more convincing? Yes, because people were fearful of anything new. He disliked public demonstrations, and yet, one must do what one must do.

Rek'iel asked three men and two women, who emerged from the multitude, to come up to the stage. He spoke their names and introduced them, announcing that they were once former devotees, but were now fully enlightened _protégés_. A hush of quiet excitement came over the crowd. Upon receiving instructions from Rek'iel, the five left the stage, walking down one step, two steps, three steps ... but before setting foot on the ground they each seemed to levitate momentarily ... as if walking on air! and then seemed to just disappear, vanishing into thin air as they walked away from the stage! The crowd gasped, struck with awe by the miracle.

A short time passed and the Maghav turned and pointed some distance away, where the crowd now saw five glowing figures gradually materializing; the figures seemed to be smiling and waving, and some people actually waved back ... until Rek'iel snapped his fingers as if he were a magician, and the five protégés disappeared and then soon reappeared back on stage, standing there and smiling. A murmur again went through the crowd, some people clapping and cheering, as Maghav Rek'iel again spoke from the podium:

"Religious leaders of the past ignored the physical body, subordinating the physical plane to the spiritual. But in fact, the spirit can accomplish a great deal more with a physical vehicle, than without one. It is all part of our New Covenant."

Rek'iel told them, "Brothers and sisters, the fulfillment of prophecy is upon us. Verily, I assure you, things will begin to move very quickly from now on. For your sake and the sake of everyone on this planet, now is the time to awaken, rise and join us."

o - o - o - o – o

Maghav Rek'iel would now personally minister to converts, and the gathering slowly began to break up. Daniel said, "Let's get the hell outta here."

Stefan said, "Yeah, let's get the hell outta here."

They got back on the highway, headed to pick-up Teal'c at the Tel Aviv airport. Stefan said, "Rek'iel's pretty good with the magic tricks. I'd give a lot to find out how he does it."

Daniel musing softly to himself, remembering Rek'iel's words, "_You shall move beyond human limitations. You shall awaken ... beyond good and evil._"

Stefan heard Daniel's musings and remarked, "He's feeding them some pretty attractive stuff. I've heard they have ranks, militia-style, insignia they sew on their clothes, secret rituals, well organized, all highly regulated. All consciously designed to pull them in, make them feel a part of something bigger than themselves."

Reed: "Yeah, to make them feel like they're saving the world."

Daniel, reflectively, "He reminds me of someone ... I just can't put my finger on _who_."

Reed: "It's the first time you've seen him?"

Daniel: "In person, yeah."

Reed: "I've seen him talk a couple of times. It's always the same production, always doing everything he can to cultivate his organization, his cadre of loyal _devotees_, or _protégés_. He's a skilled operator, alright."

Stefan: "People are always wanting to believe in _something_. A new faith, a new cause. _Something_."

o - o - o - o - o

By 11:10 AM, they were driving on Highway 1, the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway, also known as the Jericho Road, en route to Tel Aviv. Eventually approaching the airport, Daniel, Stefan and Reed now feeling dark apprehension on seeing a mysterious-looking, incandescent-red _pillar of fog_ northwest of the airport, the men aware it couldn't be any normal fog, it was just too big, too solid-looking, too strangely incandescent RED. Pulling up to the airport pick-up area, Teal'c standing there waiting, an alarm blaring from inside the airport. Teal'c got in and sat up front with Reed, with Daniel and Stefan in the back seat.

Daniel: "What the hell's that alarm?"

Teal'c: "I do not know, Daniel Jackson, but because of that fog all flights going in and out of the airport have been cancelled."

They were trying to get a good look but couldn't see much from this side of the airport. Stefan said, "I think we should get moving and keep moving."

Teal'c: "Indeed. It would not be advantageous to get trapped here."

Daniel: "You're right, Teal'c. Reed, get us out of here."

They pulled off, wanting to get away from the airport and back to their hotel in Jerusalem as soon as possible. Back on Highway 1, they could see it behind them: the pillar of incandescent red fog was towering over the airport but moving fast in their direction.

From the highway they saw the Ben Shemen Youth Village and then turned south-southeast into the Ayalon Valley where the fog disappeared from view, Daniel and the others taking constant looks behind, but after crossing the Ayalon Stream and nearing Latrun the red pillar of fog reappeared – now looking so ominous and coming on so fast that people here on the highway near Latrun were speeding up, trying to out-run it out of fear, everyone on the road within sight of it scared silly.

Reed: "I wonder if this is what they call _electronic fog_? It's supposed to be electromagnetic, supposedly it follows planes and attaches itself to them in the Bermuda Triangle."

Daniel said no, and nobody else had heard anything about something like that. Teal'c had the feeling if you ever got caught up in _this_ fog, or whatever it was, you might never come out. Then he heard it, an eerie sound, still very faint. Teal'c asked, "Do you hear that?"

Stefan: "What?"

Teal'c: "There is a sound."

Daniel: "I don't hear anything."

No surprise that only Teal'c could hear it – it was the same sound as on the train, the same recognizable vibration signature, and once again it was approaching, not receding. Up ahead they saw two cars bump and skid and crash into the guard rail, Reed slowing down but Daniel telling him, "Don't stop, Reed, we can't do much." The others agreed and they speeded-up again, but Teal'c now feeling the sound's vibration as an echo or over-tone with an agonizing resonance like nails scratching on a blackboard, and instinctively he knew the tone-vibration's effects would be debilitating – if he let it.

But he could block it. He was the only one who could. But as he focused on blocking it he saw Reed's hands shaking on the steering wheel, Teal'c asking, "Reed, are you O.K.? What is happening?"

Getting no response, Reed looking like he wanted to say something, mouthing something but nothing coming out and now cars up ahead swerving all over the place and Reed hardly reacting as two cars ahead spun out and Reed not slowing down ...

"Reed, are you O.K.?" Teal'c glancing back at Daniel and Stefan but something was seriously wrong! He saw them sitting up straight but staring straight ahead, eyes fixed and both Daniel Jackson and Stefan seemingly frozen in place or somehow paralyzed. Teal'c yelled, "Daniel Jackson! Stefan!" but nothing, nobody answering and now he realized Reed was frozen too, the car veering to the left as Teal'c yelled, "Reed! Reed!" but still no response as Teal'c grabbed the wheel, keeping them straight, but Reed's foot was stuck on the gas, Teal'c yelling, "Reed! Reed!" still trying to lift Reed's foot while steering at the same time and still having to focus on blocking the sound, too. He saw cars crashing up ahead and in back of them, spinning out of control and careening off the road, Reed's foot still stuck on the gas, but through all this if you were Reed or Daniel or Stefan ...

... you felt like your head was about to explode, you felt captive, frozen, unable to move and unable to look away, your brain flooding with rows and rows of mathematical symbols and equations, algorithms, derivatives, harmonic progressions and sets of unknown coordinates.

Daniel, Stefan, Reed and everyone else on the road for miles in every direction were physically frozen while absorbing a multitude of incomprehensible symbols, equations, dispersal ratios, frequency signatures, overtone indicators, combustible trajectories, standard and dysfunctional gravitational cycles, etheric energy conversion equations and potential triggering mechanisms, all the men experiencing the same sensations and flow of images ...

... except for Teal'c, who was still blocking the tone-vibration while struggling to control the car.

Daniel and the others and every human under the fog's influence felt like their brains were filling with dynamite attached to a short burning fuse, their brains pervaded with incomprehensible symbols of vector modes, key world-grid coordinates, ley line coordinates, the coordinates of etheric energy tributary zones, the coordinates of Earth's seven vortices ... until the rushing blizzard of information finally slowed and faded and everything went black ...

... as Teal'c now finally wrestled Reed's foot off the gas and brought the car to a stop at the side of the road. The pillar of incandescent red fog moved off, past them and everyone else on the highway, moving southeast towards Jerusalem.

Teal'c was mostly unaffected by what the others experienced, and from Teal'c's point of view only fifty-seven seconds had passed since the red fog and the accompanying tone-vibration overtook their car and took control. Daniel, Stefan and Reed were showing signs of revival, though not easily shaking it off.

Daniel: "What the hell happened?!"

Reed: "Don't know." Reed dazed and disoriented, like everyone else, his left arm feeling numb but improving. For Daniel it was his face that felt numb, though also quickly improving. Stefan shaking, feeling almost hysterical; Daniel asking, "We all saw something, right?"

The others nodded yes, wondering what it was they'd seen. Stefan was stuttering, suffering from shock and looked like he were freezing though the weather was warm, "Wha ... wha ... what was it? S-s-some ... s-s-some kind of hallucination?"

Everybody still in shock. Emotions running hot as they regained control of themselves, remembering flashes and bits and pieces of what they'd seen, Reed grabbing a cigarette, hard to light it with his hands still shaking, Stefan babbling more or less incoherently. Two Israeli motorcycle cops passed them and drove ahead, stopping to administer aid to cars on the side of the road. Stefan opened the door and got out, trying to breathe, trying to take deep breaths, and then they all got out, Teal'c inspecting the car, Daniel reaching for his phone, wanting to call Jack. Daniel got out his phone, put it on the hood for a second to wipe the sweat off his forehead and then things got even stranger: Daniel's cell phone began to rise, floating in the air, levitating.

At first, no one else looking in his direction, not even noticing. Daniel not comprehending as he watched it rise, now calling the others, "Teal'c! Reed! Look!" Everybody now standing there watching in amazement and disbelief as the phone kept rising, up above their heads and higher in the sky ...

o - o - o - o - o

11:31 PM. Back in Jerusalem, Jack and Major Johnson heard a terrific crash from outside the hotel, followed by wailing sirens, car alarms and horns blaring, Jack and Johnson now going to the window to see, looking down at the street from their suite on the 18th floor.

Jack: "What is it, a car crash?"

Johnson: "I don't know, but there's something going on ... look."

People were running in every direction. The window sealed shut, hard to see, so they tried opening it but couldn't. All kinds of commotion from down on the street; they could see traffic already backed-up for a block but couldn't see far enough down the street to see the source of the problem.

Horns and sirens were still blaring, and Johnson said, "I'm gonna go down and take a look." Jack said O.K., Johnson left and went down to the street, and what he saw there he couldn't believe:

It started with small objects rising into the air: cell phones, coins, other small metal objects, then insects, small animals, small cats and dogs, as anything small and light-weight and not anchored down began to rise. In less than a minute it got worse, as small children could be seen floating upwards, and then even light-weight adults and all kinds of other objects too, began floating upward, rising higher, amazing at first but then frightening when the children rose skyward and kept rising! Major Johnson swore, "Oh my God." He stood there amazed and disoriented, wishing he were dreaming but knowing he wasn't.

Upstairs in their hotel room, Jack heard his cell phone buzz but when he turned around it wasn't on the table where he'd left it – it was floating in mid-air – slowly rising towards the ceiling! What the hell?! Jack watching it rise slowly towards the ceiling with no idea _what to think_ ... but the phone still buzzing and he wanted to take the call – it might be Carter calling back. He jumped a foot off the ground and grabbed it – but instead of landing back on the floor on his feet now found himself floating in air, slowly floating up towards the ceiling. In no time at all Jack was up at the ceiling, stuck there, pinned up against the ceiling.

Geez, Jack thought, what the? At least he could finally take his call.

It was Carter. She asked, "General? Is that you?"

"It's me alright."

"Are you O.K.?"

"Well, uh, I'm O.K., but, uh, believe it or not, I'm stuck to the ceiling in my hotel room."

"Believe it or not, I suspected as much. It's all over the news, I'm watching it." Sam told him what he could not see himself: that people all over the area were rising steadily upward into the sky, and no one knew where it would stop or how it would end.

Jack asked, "What's causing this? Is it connected with what you talked about before, the gravity waves or anti-graviton particles or whatever it was?"

Sam: "Possibly, _probably_, it's still all speculation. We don't know. The physics of gravity waves and anti-gravity particles is still new and theoretical – gravity waves were only first detected in 2015. And it's important to realize that relativity theory doesn't predict anything like _negative space geometry_, which would imply negative space curvature, though, on the other hand, it does predict that negative mass would produce a repulsive gravitational field."

Jack had no clue as to what she was talking about and simply wanted her best guess. "Carter, what do _you_ think?"

But Sam suddenly yelled, "Wait, General, hold on." Momentary silence, then she cried, "Oh no!"

"What?"

Sam crying out, "Oh my God, this _can't_ be happen ...!"

Jack wondering what she was seeing, asking, "Carter, what is it?" but the phone had cut out ... and Jack suddenly came crashing to the floor. The anti-gravity phenomenon had reversed itself.

o - o - o - o - o

The results were catastrophic. An hour later, Daniel, Teal'c, Reed and Stefan got off the highway and saw the extent of the disaster in Jerusalem. Everything and everyone who went up came down, the destruction was brutal and merciless, a scene of pure horror with bodies scattered on the ground, blood splattered everywhere and smashed-up body parts. Reed was overcome by how bad it was, swearing, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" and trying to ask, "Daniel, does your friend Sam know what's happened here?" but the whole group except for Teal'c was now affected by _Yoda-speak_ and it came out, "Daniel, your Sam friend does know here what's happened?"

But Daniel didn't know what Sam might know, or Jack either, since none of them could get a signal on their cell phones. Winding through the city streets, driving slowly due to the crowd, with people walking out on the street, horns blaring, children crying, terror on people's faces.

They heard a bystander say, "They didn't have a way to break their fall."

Daniel and the others saw emergency medical workers opening triage posts, working feverishly, as police directed what little traffic there was, mainly concerned with emergency vehicles and military personnel began a clean-up operation. It looked like a war zone. Storefronts blinking neon green on and off as the power went haywire, traffic lights out altogether. Most people taking refuge indoors, while outside the streets were littered with dead bodies and car wrecks everywhere, and bodies piling up, sirens blaring all over the city.

Stefan asked, "Get a signal anybody yet?" But nobody could. Daniel said, "Still I haven't Sandrine reached yet. I've with Nikki what's happening _got_ to know!" It was Daniel's biggest source of anxiety, having no way to get information from Cyprus. Their only goal now was to get back to the hotel and see what Jack could tell them, but it was slow going, a lot of waiting at every intersection with traffic backed-up.

When the anti-gravity phenomenon reversed itself they'd been on the highway, where the population was sparse and they couldn't see much. Insects rising in the air, a few cell phones, small animals, yes, but it merely struck them as _peculiar_ when it happened – not like this, not like the disaster they were now seeing here in the city. But even now they didn't know the whole story. They would only later find out that the power was completely out and that besides phone service the people of Jerusalem had no television or radio either, or anything else, so that all connections to the outside world were broken off. They didn't know that at 12:41 PM a train had derailed approaching Kiryat Moshe station, or that at 12:46 the Chords Bridge collapsed, as the destruction continued to mount.

Still sitting in traffic at 1:37 PM, they heard a sound like a sonic boom crack through the city, reverberating again and again, pulsing like aftershocks. It was just around 2:00 in the afternoon when Teal'c asked, "Daniel Jackson – do you see it?" as Teal'c he pointed at the western horizon. Reed saw it and said, "God of holy mother!" Stefan swore under his breath; Daniel saw it and said wearily, "Last thing it is we need."

They all saw it in the sky – another incandescent-red pillar of fog.

o - o - o - o - o

2:55 PM. Northwest of Israel, meanwhile, the island of Cyprus was untouched by the events to the south. Sandrine thought she saw Nikki stir a bit on the couch, as if she were restless in this unconscious state, perhaps ready to come out of it. She'd been out for a very long time.

Sandrine called softly, "Nikki. Nikki. Time to wake up, dear." Standing over her, watching her. "Can you hear me, Nikki? Time to wake up. We're going to have some visitors. Time to wake up."

Nikki still dreaming but stirring, dreaming her father came to visit. Trying to open her eyes, trying to greet him, trying to wake up, but it was hard.

"Nikki, time to wake up, girl. Can you hear me, Nikki?" She thought she saw her eyelids flutter. "Nikki, time to wake up."

Nikki still half-asleep, murmuring, "Visitors?

"That's right, Nikki, time to wake up. Can you open your eyes? Come on now, try to open your eyes."

Her eyes fluttered a bit, and she stirred, coming out of it, but far from fully awake. She managed to ask, weakly, "Where am I?"

Sandrine: "You're on the island of Cyprus."

"Cyprus?"

"Yes."

Nikki slowly reaching consciousness, now finally waking up, but groggy. She said, "If I'm on Cyprus ... then you must be ..."

"My name is Sandrine Michaelasotro." [_Sandrine _appeared in the author's previous story, _Mines of Discontent_.]

"This is your house?"

"Yes. How do you feel?"

Nikki with eyes still half-closed, "Not too good." She was still lying back on the living room sofa, slowly coming around. Where's Samantha?"

Sandrine told her, "Upstairs, in bed in the guest room. She's all right."

"Teal'c was with us. Where's Teal'c?"

"I sent him back to Jerusalem."

"You sent him back?" Nikki instantly upset, reacting and feeling fully awake now. "But my father _wanted_ him here, with me. Why would you send him away?"

"Because there wasn't anything more he could do here. And they'd be needing him back in Jerusalem. Especially after all that's happened."

"What do you mean, what's happened? Is my father all right?"

"Your father's doing fine. But you've missed a lot, there's a lot of catching up to do. I just want to take it slow. Can you sit up?"

Nikki had been trying but now really made an effort. "How long have I been out?"

Sandrine propping her up with pillows, "You've been unconscious for, let's see, going on forty hours now."

Nikki still struggling. "I feel all off-balance. Especially when I open my eyes."

Sandrine: "It's vertigo, I imagine, after your experience on the plane. It'll go away. Keep your eyes closed for a while, that should help."

Nikki closed her eyes. "Yeah, I guess that helps."

Sandrine asked, "What do you remember about the plane?"

"The plane?" Slowly remembering. "Oh my God! I was on the plane to Cyprus, and there were planes chasing us ... and then ... and then, we _crashed_. Our plane crashed!" Nikki shuddered. "Oh my God. Were there other survivors?"

"Nikki, there was no plane crash."

"No plane crash?!"

"No."

"But ..." she didn't understand, the memory so vivid she didn't know what to think. "You mean it was all a dream? I mean, it felt so real. It felt like something awful happened."

"Everything's O.K., you're safe now."

Nikki struggled to get up but couldn't manage it, so she lay back down and closed her eyes again. "I'm such a mess. What's _wrong_ with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you, beyond this temporary vertigo."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant, but I'm quite sure you're fine. It's just that, well, I think it's a case where you don't know who you really are yet. I'm planning to help you find out."

"My father said you helped him once. He said you cured him."

"I just helped him get back to himself."

"He thinks you can cure Samantha."

"Thankfully, Samantha is already improving. But I'm concerned about _you_. I want to hear what happened to you."

"You mean on the plane?"

"I mean even before that. What happened to make you want to get on a plane and come see your father in Jerusalem?"

Nikki not sure she felt ready to share her story. "I just really wanted to see my father." She badly wanted to get up and open her eyes; she finally roused herself and stood up, still woozy but eyes open and finally got her first good look at Sandrine. She got the shock of her life! "Whoa! What the ... ?!"

Sandrine: "What is it?"

Nikki feeling ... _YOW!_ Like the sudden shock of a live electric wire, experiencing the reaction – the goosebumps, tingling sensation and a rush of feeling like electricity spreading through her body – same as happened a few other times in her life. The sensation rushing through her and throwing her into a panic! The last time, the feeling was a _recognition_ of Maghav Rek'iel when she saw him on the TV news. Now thoroughly spooked, feeling like she was about to jump out of her skin!

Sandrine: "What is it, Nikki? What are you feeling?"

The shocking tingling rushing sensation still pulsing through her, vibrations and tingling goosebumps all over. She said, "I _recognize_ you, Sandrine, but I don't mean by how you look, not the way most people do. It's happened before but I don't understand it, I don't understand what it means! Who are you _really_?!"

"Just who I said – I'm Sandrine."

"Yeah, but ..." as a shadow of wild paranoia passed through her.

Sandrine: "Nikki, listen, I think I can explain what you're most likely feeling, if what I've suspected is true. That you're one of us. Because that's what I believe – that you're one of us."

"I have _no_ _idea_ what you're talkin' about! What do you mean,_ one of us_?"

"I'll explain everything, just give me a chance, won't you?"

Nikki trying to get herself under control, feeling scared and paranoid and disoriented and wishing Teal'c hadn't left but he did, so her options were limited.

Sandrine: "I'm going to tell you a story, a strange, bizarre, but true story that'll explain everything. Just give me a chance."

Nikki looking at her strangely, Sandrine telling her, "Why don't you sit back down on the sofa, and give me a chance, won't you? I'll explain, if you'll let me."

Nikki still feeling uncomfortable but remembering how much her father trusted Sandrine. The tingling sensation now lessening a bit, as she made an effort to relax and retreated to the sofa, telling Sandrine, "O.K., go ahead, explain."

Sandrine: "The fact is, the truth is, I have Lantean genes in my background, and if you _recognize_ me, then so must you." She let the words sink in. "How much do you know about Atlantis, and the planet Lantea, and the Wraith?"

Nikki shook her head, "Not much. Mostly just what I got from my father's book."

Sandrine: "O.K., well, what I'm going to tell you may sound unbelievable, but I'll just tell it straight out because there's no other way." Pulling up a chair across from her. "We were Lanteans, a group of Lanteans who'd come back to Earth after the war with the Wraith. Most of the group left again soon after arriving, because they found conditions too primitive for their taste. They gave up pretty quick. But thirty-six of us, including you, me and thirty-four others, decided to stay. We declared a mission: to help humans gain some of the tools of civilization. To help get a foothold, to help them survive. Because at that time, survival was by no means certain."

"You're sayin' I was part of that group?"

"Yes."

Nikki thinking that over, trying to grasp the possibility this could actually be true.

Sandrine continued, "The connection with you today, here in 2023, involves certain facts. First of all, there's the fact that humans and all sentient beings reincarnate. However, fact number two, with rare exceptions, people don't _remember_ their past lives, kind of the same way we don't remember most of our dreams at night. Third fact: by a strange quirk our group, the thirty-six of us, usually_ do_ remember. That's what set us apart, that we _knew_ who we were, through the centuries. Then comes the unfortunate fourth fact: the people in our group don't _always_ remember, there's gaps. We've had lifetimes where we're essentially _asleep_. Fifth and last fact, our present goal is to awaken, and essentially, to fulfill our mission, if indeed there's even any role for us in this day and age. But first we need to remember who we are."

"I don't remember anything."

"Believe it or not, neither do I. Everything I know is second-hand, told to me by someone who knows someone who uncovered the truth. Anyway, it seems that none of us, in this generation, remembers. Apparently we sometimes _fall asleep_, passing our lives unknown to ourselves, rarely recognizing each other even if we pass on the street."

Nikki now pondering Sandrine's words, and the implications. "Why should I believe any of this?"

"Tell me something, Nikki. Have you ever felt _normal_?"

Nikki knew what she meant, and knew the answer well.

Sandrine said, "Minutes ago, when you first saw me, you _recognized_ me, didn't you? You felt the goosebumps, the rush of electricity through your body that helps you identify someone you once knew, from some other place and time but you've never known why, right? Well, I'm giving you the answer. I'm trying to help, like I once helped your father."

Nikki listening, still wondering, but not discarding anything Sandrine said. Sandrine told her, "I don't expect you to buy into all this right away; you need time to absorb it. Time to see if it _fits_. All I ask is that you keep an open mind, won't you?"

Nikki nodded and said, "I'll try."

They both fell silent. A few moments passed, then Nikki asked, "Is Maghav Rek'iel involved in this?"

"He's one of us. But he's different."

"What do you mean? How is he different?"

"He's one of the thirty-six of us who stayed on Earth, but he's gone rogue. He's responsible for all of this, all that's been happening in Jerusalem."

Nikki with a questioning look, not yet aware of the events transpiring there, Sandrine remembering that Nikki didn't know yet. Softly and calmly, Sandrine told her, "Nikki, you've slept through quite a lot." Sandrine spent some time explaining the destructive anti-gravity phenomenon and the mayhem and loss of life in Jerusalem, all of which understandably shocked Nikki, who asked, "How do you know that my father's really alright?"

"The phones had gone out for awhile but came back up, and Teal'c called and told me they're all O.K."

"Nikki sighed a big sigh. "Thank God. This is all so, I don't know, so _overwhelming_." But she felt relieved too, that her father was O.K. She asked, "But you said Maghav Rek'iel is responsible for all this, right?"

"Yes. It seems that Rek'iel, and his partner, Mar'tan, intend to mass-produce beings who are _ascended-in-the-flesh_. Their motivations are unclear to me, but the fact is that the artificial method they're using is dangerous."

"What makes it so dangerous?"

"It requires funneling etheric energy from the world grid."

Sandrine wanted to tell Nikki about Rek'iel's challenge to the Others and the Game of Destiny, but thought they'd better wait for their visitors.

As if reading Sandrine's mind, Nikki said, "When I was still half-asleep before, I thought I heard you say we're to have _visitors_ – or did I just dream that?"

"No, you weren't dreaming. Some visitors are coming here to see _you_."

"To see _me_? Is it my father? And Jack O'Neill and ..."

"No, it's not them.

"Then who?"

"Nikki, how much do you know of ascended beings?"

"Probably more than most people." Nikki wondering why she'd ask something like that? She said, "My father told me more than he wrote in his book, so, I guess I know a few things." Giving Sandrine a long, questioning look. "Why?"

Sandrine gave her a long look too.

Nikki: "Oh no." Nikki's eyes getting wide. "Are you telling me our visitors are ascended beings?"

"Yes, and it won't be long. Now lie back and close your eyes and rest a bit more until they get here, O.K.? I'll call you when they're here."

About thirty minutes passed. Sandrine felt their presence before they materialized. She called in a sing-song voice, "Nikki, they're here."


	13. Chapter 13

**13**

Sandrine invited them in, Nikki thinking, Oh my God! Amazed and thrilled at having ascended beings as visitors. The group of four was a special envoy from the Others representing Earth's High Council of Ascended Beings; they'd been entrusted with a special mission.

Sandrine apparently knew Saron, treating her like an old friend, and Saron introduced the others in her group: Lejeune, B'urr, and Lilavale. There were smiles and greetings and then Saron looked at Nikki and asked, "How much do you know about the recent events in Israel? In particular, the anti-gravity phenomenon?"

Nikki: "I know what Sandrine told me. About all those people who died."

Saron said, "It's tragic, and should never have happened. We blame the Maghavs, with their stupid, dangerous experiments."

Saron explained how a very long time ago, ascended beings adopted a rule of non-interference with humans, a principle sometimes called the _prime directive_. She said, "The Maghavs Rek'iel and Mar'tan ignored that rule and began using an artificial process whereby many humans became _ascended-in-the-flesh_."

Nikki: "_Ascended-in-the-flesh_?"

Lejeune: "It's a quasi-ascended state with some of the advantages of ascension while remaining in a human body. But this form of ascension requires a special process."

Saron: "When the Others tried to stop Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan, they refused. They knew there's a way to challenge the Others, by way of a kind of _game_ called the _Ludus Libati_; they knew that if their Ludus Libati challenge was successful the Others would be forced, by the rules and customs of the ascended realm, to allow them a free hand. Well, the Maghavs made their challenge and were successful, and the result is they have not only continued to use their artificial process to produce more beings who are ascended-in-the-flesh, but have even accelerated their efforts."

Lilavale: "Altogether, we estimate they've helped ascend at least a thousand."

B'urr: "Maybe more. We don't really know."

B'urr: "But the problem is, their artificial process is truly dangerous. Anti-gravity instability is only the beginning, only the tip of the iceberg."

Saron wanted to explain how things stood. She told Nikki, "The Maghavs need an energy source and no ordinary source will do. They've been tapping etheric energy from the world-grid, which is very much like a living, breathing organism. Etheric energy functions like an interface between the world-grid and the physical world. The problem is, their artificial conversion process creates _leaks_, and imbalances in the grid."

Lejeune: "Imbalances resulting in effects like anti-gravity."

Nikki asked, "But why do Rek'iel and Mar'tan want people who are ascended-in-the-flesh, anyway?"

Lilavale: "To get more converts. You see, becoming fully ascended means giving up your human life. Leaving the people you love, leaving your family. And remember, you're prohibited from interfering with humans. In fact, without some special dispensation, all human contact is prohibited."

Nikki shaking her head, "I don't know that I could do it."

B'urr: "Yes, well, on the other hand, someone who's ascended-in-the-flesh doesn't give up their human body, but ages slowly, so a life-span of three hundred years is not impossible. And eventually, they simply take a new physical body."

Nikki: "Do they have special powers?"

Lejeune: "Yes. For example, the power of becoming invisible at will, and telepathic powers. And many ordinary human functions are enhanced, so they can see farther, run faster, _think_ _faster_!"

Nikki listening intently and thinking deeply. She asked, "But what ends do they have in mind? I mean, I assume they have some specific agenda?"

Saron: "No one knows for certain, but as best as we can piece it together, Rek'iel and Mar'tan want ascension for the masses. Rek'iel and Mar'tan consider our ascended realm _elitist_. They plan to engineer a revolution, whereby thousands of new ascended beings will bring thousands of votes to overturn the rule of non-interference, and allow ascended beings to help humans."

Nikki: "Hmmm. But why, to do what?"

Saron: "To control the planet, for what they consider its _betterment_."

Nikki quiet, pondering the implications of all she heard. Wondering why they came here to tell all this to _her_?

B'urr: "The important thing is, what these Maghavs are doing is too dangerous. Essentially, they're destroying the planet."

Nikki: "But why won't they admit they're wrong, and admit the dangers?"

Saron: "We don't know much about Mar'tan, or why he's so loyal to Rek'iel. But Rek'iel's known for being stubborn and getting what he wants, no matter the cost. He's apparently convinced himself the grid will hold, and he's willing to gamble the earth's future to get what he thinks is right."

Lilavale: "There's a saying he's become known for, something he's been known to tell his followers and supporters: _If you want to make an omelette, you have to break a few eggs._ In other words, there'll be innocent victims, and this is unavoidable. To him, they're just collateral damage. His attitude seems to be that the ends justifies the means."

They were getting through to Nikki, all right, but finally she just had to ask, as she directed her question at Saron. "There must be some reason you've come here to tell me all this. I'm guessing you want my father to get involved, somehow, and you want me to persuade him. Is that it?"

Saron: "No, Nikki, that's not it."

Lilavale: "Since your father was ascended once, he can't help us."

Saron: "We're here to ask you something, Nikki. Let me explain." She spoke slowly and carefully to Nikki, because with the proposition she had to offer, everything hung in the balance. Saron told Nikki, "Just as Rek'iel and Mar'tan challenged the Others, through the _Ludus Libati_, we can challenge them. However, the current membership of Others already lost the challenge – what is required is that someone not previously ascended make the challenge to Rek'iel and Mar'tan. We know of one person who qualifies, one human who we believe would make a good candiate. No, more than that, someone who we believe _will_ _win_. That person is you."

Nikki wasn't ready for this, feeling like she got hit with something, punched when she didn't have her guard up, hoping she didn't hear it right. But she had to ask, "Did you say ... what I think you said?"

Lilavale: "Nikki, we have reason to believe you would win. You have everything we're looking for. We need you."

Saron: "Nikki, we're asking you to become an ascended being, to represent us and all the Others, by challenging Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan to a game of Ludus Libati."

o - o - o - o - o

Outside on the porch, her other-worldly guests gone, Nikki felt like a thousand tons of pressure just came down on top of her from nowhere. The intensity of the decision almost too much to bear, beads of perspiration on her forehead, her fingers bare-knuckled white from squeezing, feeling neuralgic pain in her eyes and all through her body.

Nikki walked outside into the evening air, pondering everything while she slowly walked on the grounds of Sandrine's home, which was isolated, no other houses for miles. Mumbling to herself, "This _can't_ be happening!" She'd told Saron, Lilavale and B'urr she'd think it over. Told them, "Give me twenty-four hours."

Her head throbbing, all her nerve ends taut and at the breaking point. Nikki thinking, to lose your humanity meant nothing would ever again be the same. So many little things, along with the big things, would disappear from your life forever, from your _existence_, because you wouldn't have a human life at all.

She walked into a small outdoor meditation pavilion, to stand inside, feeling protected there. It reminded her of a chapel. Nikki wasn't religious, but in her angst she looked up toward the sky and called out, "_Can you help me?_" 

One thing she knew, she didn't want to make this choice. What did she do to deserve this? Becoming an ascended being would mean losing her life. Yes, her father came back, but he'd told her returning wasn't always possible, that returning wasn't guaranteed. Or you might be allowed to return, but not for a hundred years. Which, for an ascended being, was like nothing. But her father would be gone. What good was anything anyway, if all the people you loved were gone?

She tried to focus, she tried _to_ _think_. She couldn't help feeling this was _their_ problem, an internal dispute among ascended beings. The more she thought about it, wasn't it like some ancient biblical story, involving angels vs. dark angels, a struggle within a heavenly realm? Angrily thinking, why should she get involved in this at all?

And wondering, what if I play this game of theirs _but I_ _don't win? _I'd be The One Who Failed, who failed all humankind, despised for all time. And what if instead of ascending something goes wrong? What if I don't ascend but become some kind of _defective creature_, or don't ascend or even remain human but instead enter some shadow state and end-up wandering in limbo for eternity like some disembodied lost soul?

Horrible imaginings, but she couldn't help it, she felt full of gloom, unable to see anything positive in this, at least for herself. She was a very real, living, breathing woman, not some savior of mankind.

Wandering the grounds, gazing at the pink sunset and puffy clouds, watching them drifting, wondering what does the sky look like, through the eyes of an ascended being? Was it different? Feeling a thousand tons of pressure over her head and wondering, was this the end of the road, is this how it all ended for her in ordinary human life?

o - o - o - o - o

That night in their hotel suites, Jack was exhausted and soon fast asleep, but Daniel and Stefan slept fitfully, dreaming nightmare dreams. Daniel dreamed that he and the others were being held captive in a cell below the streets of Jerusalem, while outside in the tunnels they heard the shrieking sounds of defective creatures, lurking in the shadows. Then they were running for their lives and he was stopping for a second to catch his breath and he asked Nikki, "What do they want?" meaning the creatures, "What are they searching for?" and Nikki answered, "Their parents, I think. Their human parents." He dreamed he pulled out his cell phone and held it out in front of himself at arm's length for a moment before letting go – watching the phone float and then rise up into the sky, higher and higher until he heard it buzz; he tried to grab it but couldn't reach it, as it kept on buzzing, and then finally he woke up. Daniel reached for his phone and took his call: it was Sandrine, calling from Cyprus.

o - o - o - o - o

Nikki went inside and upstairs, saw Sandrine's light on from under the door, thought of knocking but didn't. She looked in on Samantha and saw her sleeping, went back downstairs and tried to sleep but couldn't, came back downstairs and went outside again. It was dark and warm and the sky was clear, full of stars.

Nikki couldn't shake the pressure, knowing she had to face some stark realizations. She believed that if she ascended she might see Freddie and her father again but it wouldn't be the same. She'd have special powers but she'd be giving up some part of her humanity. It wouldn't be the same.

Memories of how she met Freddie entered her mind; he'd met her when he came to hear a talk her father gave, meeting her afterwards when people came for her father's autograph. If she agreed to their proposition for ascending she'd miss Freddie tremendously. Despite their little fights she loved him and expected to travel through life with him. She believed if she ascended, she'd be alone.

And not seeing her father again seemed unthinkable. She remembered their house on Mystic Canyon Road in the Los Angeles hills, where she'd grown up. All the things they'd shared, her dear mother's patient attitude, always positive, her father's confident support of her in all things, her father's stories, and those times Jack O'Neill came to visit, and Samantha Carter too, and the stories they told of the Stargate. It was their secret – because in those days it wasn't public knowledge yet and nobody else was supposed to know.

Nikki looking up at the night sky, pondering everything, not sure what to do. If she ascended she might never see her father again. Or Freddie. Or at least, it wouldn't ever be the same again. Could she really give up the one human life she'd been given?

She wished she didn't have to, but she was gonna have to make a decision.


	14. Chapter 14

**14**

Sam knew they'd have to get the Stargate open, and soon. Things were getting desperate, with everyone on the planet struggling to cope with a devastating new phenomenon.

It started early on September 3rd, a Saturday, the very same day Sam left Nikki on the island of Cyprus and joined Jack and the others back in Jerusalem. Temperatures rose to 131 degrees in New York City that day and dropped to just 9 degrees that night, the high-low swing getting worse each day after that. The phenomenon was world-wide: in Jerusalem, people got sunburned after five minutes in the sun, and people who braved the noon-time sun longer than that often got fever-blisters on their faces, hands or anywhere unprotected.

Teal'c said, "I have never witnessed such an extreme temperature cycle on your planet."

Sam: "If our magnetic field _magnetosheath's_ been weakened, we're in serious trouble."

Sam, Jack, Major Johnson, Stefan, Daniel and Teal'c were gathered in Jack's hotel suite; Jack and Johnson had heat blisters on their faces and hands and arms.

Sam continued, "The earth's molten-iron core rotates, and that rotation generates the magnetic fields surrounding our planet. One possibility scientists are floating, in conjunction with the other phenomena we've experienced, is that something's disrupting Earth's magnetic field, which acts like a buffer or shield against the sun's harmful rays."

Jack: "O.K. Carter, let's say it's a magnetic field issue. What's causing it?"

Sam: "We believe something's triggered a process known as geomagnetic polar reversal."

Stefan was immediately disgruntled. "That's a _doomsday _scenario, Dr. Carter. There's no possible solution, we might as well begin evacuating the planet." Then Stefan lightened up and said, "But the good news is you're wrong. As far as I'm aware, mainstream science considers geomagnetic polar reversals nothing more than _fringe physics_, pure and simple."

Sam: "Not anymore, Stefan. Volcanic basalt rock contains magnetite, and when it cools its magnetic properties are frozen, recording the Earth's magnetic field of the time. From recent studies of volcanic rock, scientists now know the Earth's geomagnetic pole has reversed a number of times – the last time around 780,000 years ago. The north pole becomes the south pole, and vice versa, and in the process, the planetary protective magnetosheath fluctuates and temporarily disappears, with catastrophic results."

Everybody took that in for a minute. Then Major Johnson asked, "Dr. Carter, let's say a geomagnetic polar reversal is affecting our magnetic fields. Alright, but then what's causing the polar reversal in the first place?"

Sam: "In past reversals, a comet's impact, or massive solar storms, might have triggered a tiny shift in our planetary rotation, knocking it temporarily out of balance and starting a slipping, sliding chain-reaction with our tectonic plates. There could have been tremendous pressure which worked itself down from the crust through the mantle all the way to the core ... producing friction between our planet's solid inner core and the molten liquid outer core, destabilizing the relationship between the two and disturbing the magnetic field. Eventually, the geomagnetic poles reversed, and in the process our protective magnetosheath was weakened. What's absolutely certain right now is that our magnetosheath's already weakened. We're burning up – and freezing at night."

Jack: "Carter, are other scientists on board with this idea?"

Sam: "There's no solid agreement, but currently it's the leading theory. But there's not much agreement about what particular reason might be driving the polar reversal so fast right now."

Jack now looking in Daniel's direction, who seemed lost in thought. "Any comments, Daniel?"

Daniel looked distracted and was hardly listening – he'd been checking his phone for messages. He answered, "What's that, Jack?"

"Any comments about Sam's polar reversal theory?"

But before Daniel could respond, Stefan jumped back in and said, "I'm in the minority, it seems, insofar as I disagree with polar reversal theory, but nonetheless, we could test your magnetic fields - polar reversal theory if we could get off-world and compare our data against what those other planets are experiencing. We could do a chemical-mineral composition analysis, test for heavy radioactive elements – whether stable or unstable, test for polar ice-cap durability and try to determine the strength or instability of their magnetosheaths ... if we just had access to the Stargate."

Sam: "Yes, you're right. If we get the Stargate open, we could accomplish several things at the same time. First, as Stefan said, we could assess the current situation on the ground for each planet affected by the series of phenomena, compare it with Teal'c's earlier findings and see where things fare now on each one of them; and second, we might try to get a feel for whether there's any outside influence, versus purely natural origins for the phenomena."

Stefan: "Outside influence versus natural origins? You mean, whether it's _man-made_?"

Sam: "That's right."

Sam looked at Jack and told him, firmly, "General, we really need access to the Stargate."

Jack: "I understand. I'm on it. I'll get hold of General Landry, maybe talk to Wilkerson too. I'll get it open ... that's a promise."

Jack began making calls, then spent a lot of time waiting to hear back. It was now Monday, September 5th, and that night he told them, "It's not all completely firmed-up yet, but just to make sure we're all on the same page ... we're all agreed, right, when we get the Gate open, we all go?"

Daniel: "Why? I mean ..."

Jack: "Because apparently, Daniel, the president wants to get a photo-op out of this, and wants all of us there. So ... is everybody on board with this?"

Everybody nodding yes, except Daniel, who was in the midst of a struggle with himself. He was having a hard time getting on board with the idea of leaving Jerusalem without his daughter. He answered Jack by mumbling a quiet, "Yeah, I guess so."

o - o - o - o - o

After Daniel and Stefan's experience on the highway, the good news was that the "Yoda-speak" was gone. And though phone service was intermittent, at least it was back up again. The bad news: so far the two messages Daniel left for Nikki had gone unanswered.

Daniel's thoughts were very much focused on his daughter. Though the plan was for everybody to go back to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, he was preoccupied with his own concerns to the point where he wasn't ready to think of going anywhere at all until he heard from her. Daniel couldn't help thinking, he'd feel a whole lot better if he could just get in touch with Nikki.

o - o - o - o - o

By Tuesday, Sept. 6, Planet Earth's problems were growing exponentially worse. First came power surges in several countries, which triggered a series of transformer explosions.

Sam said, "If more and more power transformers go down, eventually so will most electrical devices – meaning pumps will stop working, which means no tap water, and no gas pumps working, which means no trucks for food delivery ..."

Jack: "I think we get the idea, Carter."

Sam: "It'll get worse. ATM's will stop working, satellite connections will fall out of synchronization, which means no GPS systems, no plane navigation ..."

Teal'c: "The sequence you describe, Dr. Carter – how much time do we have before it unfolds?"

Sam: "Even to answer that question, Teal'c, I need more information. But my best guess is that the time we have left will be measured in days, not weeks."

Late that afternoon in his hotel suite Jack made an announcement: "O.K., everybody, we've got a green light on the Gate. They're sending the new hypersonic Falcon HTV-4, which will get us to Cheyenne Mountain in a couple of hours. They'll pick us up tomorrow morning, at 0500 hours."

o - o - o - o - o

That night, however, as of 9:30 PM, Daniel still hadn't heard from his daughter. Though he knew he could trust Sandrine and that Nikki was probably safe there with her on the island of Cyprus, still ... the whole thing left him on edge. Sandrine had called and told him a few things, but not the whole story. Not the most important parts. Sandrine told him, "You'll have to wait and hear it from Nikki."

He was trying to sleep but couldn't; he kept looking at the clock, as ten o'clock passed, then 10:30. He didn't know what he'd do, when their 3:30 AM wake-up time came and he'd have to go forward on the trip back to Colorado. Or not. What to do? Because it felt to him that leaving Jerusalem now without talking to his daughter was out of the question. And yet, he also knew he'd have to go.

o - o - o - o - o

11:05 PM. As Nikki called her father, her mood was somber. She called and heard it ring and her father answered, "Nikki?"

"Hello, Dad."

"Nikki, I've been worried sick about you! How _are_ you?"

"O.K., I guess. I've been missing you terribly too. Is this a good time to talk?"

"It's a good time." He got up from the bed and settled into a chair. He said, "Sandrine called me."

"I know, she told me she called you. She told you about my ascended-being visitors, right?"

"Yes. And about what you've been asked to do."

"Yeah, well, I ..."

"I don't like it, Nikki."

Nikki quiet, not responding right away. She asked, "Dad, have you ever heard about _the 36_? I mean, about the 36 Lanteans who came to Earth, a long time ago?"

"_The 36_? Well ... no, I don't think so. What's the context?"

"Sandrine told me that after the war with the Wraith, there were 36 Lanteans who visited Earth and stayed to help humans survive."

"That's new to me."

"Sandrine believes in past lives. She said I was one of _the 36_."

Daniel didn't know what to think. This was completely out of the blue. He said, "Well, I don't know anything about that. But Nikki, no matter what they told you, this is _not_ your responsibility."

"I've been thinkin' that too. But there's more involved here, than just anything about me."

"Yes, but ..."

"There's a bigger picture I'm tryin' to see."

"Yes, maybe, but, well ... Nikki, I don't think I could stand to lose you."

"I know. Me too."

Daniel hesitating. "No, listen to me, listen to what I'm going to tell you."

Nikki quiet.

"Are you listening?"

"I'm listening."

"You know, after your mother died, well, I went through a very hard time. It took a long time to get my head back above water, I just couldn't ... I just couldn't ..."

"I know, Dad, I know. Believe me, I'm not taking this lightly." She paused a minute. "I'm tryin' to look at every angle, trying to see it from every direction ..."

"Yes, we have to take our time here, see the ins and outs, the pluses and minuses, but ... but Nikki, listen, honey, listen to me – you can't come back. Do you understand that? If you decide to do it, you can't come back. I mean, not just whenever you want to. Nothing's guaranteed about coming back, there's too many unknowns."

Daniel was trying to slow down, trying to make her understand. He said, "Nikki, listen, once you make that choice – it's irrevocable. I mean, think what that means, think about everything that would mean ..."

"I know, Dad. It's hitting me hard too. I don't want to do it."

"Then don't. Just stay out of it. All you have to tell them is ... just tell them that somebody ... somebody else can ..."

"Dad, I don't want to do it, but I probably will." There, it was said. "I'm sorry, Dad."

They both got quiet then, the silence drowning out everything else, Nikki trying not to cry, Daniel trying to keep it together, trying not to go under, trying not to feel like he just died.

Daniel could hardly speak, but he asked her, "Is there no chance? No other way?" Hoping against hope.

Nikki almost choked, "I don't think so."

Daniel's heart kept falling.

Nikki said, "I love you, Dad. No matter what happens, you know?"

"I love you too, baby girl." Seconds passed, Daniel finally telling her, "No matter what, everything's going to be O.K."

Nikki answered, "Yeah, it'll be O.K."

Daniel's heart was breaking and so was Nikki's, both of them trying their best not to show it. Nikki asked about Teal'c and Jack and the others, and Daniel asked about Sandrine, until Nikki finally said, "I have to call Freddie."

Daniel asked, "Does he know anything yet?"

"No, nothing."

Daniel said, "Dear, old Freddie."

Nikki, "Yeah, dear old Freddie."

o - o - o - o - o

When she reached him, Fred asked, "When are you coming back?"

Nikki sighed deeply and said, "I wish I _could_ come back."

"Why can't you?"

"There's something I have to do."

"Something you have to do? What could be all that important? I suppose you've decided we're too different, that I don't have anything to offer you. But you're wrong, I have a lot to give, it's just a case where, essentially ..."

"I know. Freddie, listen to me, whatever you think it's nothing like that. You mean the world to me, you have _character_, you have _principles_, and all I ever really wanted in a man is character and principles ... essentially. Well, _essentially_."

"Then what's it all about, Nikki?"

"I'm involved in something ... it's hard to explain."

"It's not fair for your father to involve you in something that's none of your concern. You have your own life to live. Why should he try to involve you in ..."

"No, it's not like that, Freddie. Look, there's something going on, and, well, wouldn't you want me to stand up for what I think is right and true and worthwhile?" Nikki getting roused, her voice rising, "And no matter what anybody thinks, I don't scare easily and I don't back down!"

"Well, what are you yelling at _me_ for?"

"Sorry. It's not you, it's just ... like I said, there's something I'm gonna have to do."

Fred feeling like he was down to his last card, his last chance. He told her, "I love you, Nikki. You know that, don't you?"

"I love you too, Freddie."

"But ..."

"But I can't come home now, Freddie. I'm sorry."

He hesitated, then asked quietly, "O.K. then, when?"

"I don't know."

They both got quiet. Fred asked about the weather there on Cyprus, and Nikki told him it was nice. They both got quiet again, and then, soon, it was time to say goodbye.

o - o - o - o - o

At 0540 hours on Wednesday, temperatures outside were already intense and rising, while inside, on board the jet, Jack and Major Johnson, Sam, Daniel, Stefan and Teal'c were bound for the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Daniel's mood was gloomy, after his talk with his daughter, and he didn't feel very well. But no one else was feeling all that great either. Stefan was feeling a little nervous about the trip. Major Johnson felt queasy, dealing with an upset stomach. Jack too was feeling a little jumpy, and everybody felt a little crowded in the jet's small passenger cabin.

The Air Force Falcon HTV-3 could cruise at 13,000 MPH. The Falcon was twenty times faster than supersonic – engineers referred to it as _hypersonic_. The jet could go from London to Sydney in less than an hour, or from New York City to Los Angeles in twelve minutes.

Behind the cockpit, the small passenger cabin could normally seat five; they made adjustments to add an improvised seat for Teal'c, who was wedged in towards the back. Jack said, "Thanks for volunteering to sit back here, Teal'c."

Teal'c answered, "It is no inconvenience for me, O'Neill."

Jack: "Thanks just the same, Teal'c."

By the time the pilot got them to their ideal cruising altitude, Teal'c had already begun to engage his mind in Kelno'reem. Though without his symbiote he didn't require it anymore, he nevertheless sometimes performed the ritual meditation because he found it helped him feel better.

Jack tried to get comfortable in his seat, but couldn't. Some of the others dozed off, but Jack couldn't relax, he felt _off_, kind of jumpy. He thought he saw a shadow, back past where Teal'c was sitting, but it quickly disappeared and he didn't see it again. Thinking, I must be imagining things. A bit later, he thought he heard something – but nobody else seemed to notice. Geez, he thought, why the hell am I feeling so spooked?

If only they'd known: on board were five newly-ascended beings – the same five Daniel called "caretakers" in Fatima when Sam entered the apparition, the same five Maghav Rek'iel introduced on stage at the River Jordan.

The five newly-ascended beings were completely invisible.


	15. Chapter 15

**15**

**SEPTEMBER 9th, CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN COMPLEX.** After meeting with General Landry, Jack, Sam and the rest of their group gathered in the Gateroom. Sam's plan was to visit and collect data from Vyus, Orban, Langara, Edora, K'Tau, Cimmeria and, if possible, several other planets. To save time they decided to split up in pairs, but then a discussion ensued over who would pair up with Stefan.

Sam: "No disrespect intended, Stefan, but I believe I'll function better if I partner with someone else."

Jack: "Well _I'm_ sure as hell not taking him. Anyway, Major Johnson's expectin' us to team up."

Everybody looking at Daniel, who reluctantly volunteered, "O.K., O.K.," because he didn't see any other option. So it was settled: Jack and Major Johnson would start out going to Vyus, Sam and Teal'c would go to K'Tau, and Daniel and Stefan to Cimmeria.

o - o - o - o - o

Since time was of the essence they dispensed with exploratory MALPs, but after hearing Teal'c describe his own experience on some of the planets they all had an idea of what to expect. As they began dialing for P2Q-463, Vyus, chevron one encoded as did chevrons two, three, four, five, and six, but the seventh wouldn't lock in. They tried again, and again, but no luck. Sam tried to override the safety protocols of the Gate's dialing computer, but that didn't work either.

She said, "Let's try Orban," but once again the seventh chevron wouldn't lock in. They tried P2X-416, home of the Bedrosians and Optricans, with no luck, and then P2S-4C3, Langara, but it wasn't working, they couldn't produce a stable wormhole. A dismal feeling began setting in.

Jack asked, "Carter, do you think all those Stargates are buried? Or should we assume the planets have been destroyed by the same kind of thing we're startin' to see here?"

It was a desolate thought; Sam made a painful face and said, "I wish I knew." But then she added, "I think we should try at least one or two more."

They dialed for P5C-768, Edora, watching the chevrons encode one by one, until finally, success! Under the circumstances it felt like a very big deal, and Jack and Major Johnson went on through the Gate to Edora. Minutes later brought more success as Daniel and Stefan went through to Cimmeria and Sam and Teal'c went to K'Tau.

o - o - o - o - o

Jack and Johnson emerged into a gigantic dust storm on Edora, a blizzard of sand and howling winds blowing at gale force. It was impossible to see. Major Johnson yelled, "I sure didn't expect anything like this."

Jack yelled, "What?"

It was incredibly hard to hear, Johnson yelling louder, "I DIDN'T EXPECT ANYTHING LIKE THIS!"

Jack: "NO, ME NEITHER."

Jack and Johnson anchored themselves up against the Stargate so they wouldn't get blown away. They couldn't move – essentially pinned down there by the tremendous force of the winds. The dust storm produced something like white-out conditions – they could just barely make out the outline of Edora's naquadah mining complex in the distance, but not much else.

_And yet the newly-ascended protégés could see perfectly, as if it were one of the clearest days on the planet. Maintaining invisibility, one male and one female, Stroud and Tarren, had followed Jack and Major Johnson through the Stargate, with instructions from Maghav Rek'iel. _

Jack and Johnson felt the pressure of time constraints but there wasn't anything they could do. They hunkered down as best they could, until there was a slight break in the storm and they saw a vehicle coming from the mining complex to get them. It was Laira who sent the vehicle for them. She unlocked the mining complex Observation Office and got them inside. She was alone.

Jack: "Laira ... thank God you're here."

Laira smiling, "It's wonderful to see you, Jack, after all this time." Her smile mixed with a frown, "Even under such awful conditions." She and Jack embraced each other warmly. She asked, "Who is this new friend traveling with you?"

Jack introduced them to each other, the two of them exchanging some 'How do you do's.'

Jack said, "This dust storm is crazy! How long has this been going on?"

Laira: "About two months. It comes in waves." She went to a window and said, "The winds are dying down. Conditions should improve, for awhile ... until it starts going bad again," as she stood there looking out.

Laira told them, "We've been living under extreme conditions, like these storms, and the unbelievable temperature swings. And we experience the loss of gravity – as if it had been suspended, several times. There is no stability anymore, and no one knows why." Looking exasperated, Laira asked, "Does anyone know why these things are happening? Do _you_ know, Jack?"

Jack: "No, Laira, but that's why we're here, trying to gather information to try to figure it out."

Laira gave Major Johnson a questioning look and Johnson told her, "Dr. Carter believes it may be associated with an electromagnetic polar reversal, at least on our planet. But if the same conditions are in play here on Edora, well, that could help us put the pieces together. At least, that's what we're hoping."

Another Edoran worker entered the office, greeted them and took a seat at the observation console. Laira had been standing but now returned to her own seat close to the monitor console. Her job was to monitor the mining complex and surrounding grounds, which were constructed by a company named UEC to fulfill a contract agreement to mine naquadah.

She said, "These strange phenomena are not the only reason many of us so unhappy. Some of the workers have left their jobs at the mine. For one thing, the new managers make us mine neutronium."

"Neutronium?" Jack completely surprised.

"That's right."

"But Edora's contract with UEC was all about _naquadah_. And I didn't know Edora even _had_ neutronium."

"The new company explored and found it. UEC left about a year ago and a new company came here, and everything changed."

Major Johnson: "Mining neutronium's more dangerous, with more health risks."

"Yes, we became aware of that, but they refuse to reverse themselves on this issue. There was a big confrontation but it didn't help, and now all the focus is on neutronium. And that's not all: you see how the weather is clearing? Our workers and townspeople must come out and immediately get to work, and why? Because now the managers have set _quotas_, minimum quotas we must reach."

Jack: "Or what?"

"Or we are punished."

"Punished how?"

"With beatings, and threats of imprisonment."

"We had no idea."

"And that is not all. We suspect them of sorcery."

Major Johnson: "What do you mean, _sorcery_?"

"Bewitchment. Time paralysis. I don't really know. The managers tell tales of power, of using supernatural powers, we believe." She paused, reflecting for a moment before continuing, "Many Edorans wish to make them leave, but what can we do? There is a contract in place."

Jack: "Yeah. I hate contracts."

Johnson: "Laira, what did you mean, about _bewitchment_, or _time paralysis_?"

"There is something very odd about the managers ... but it is hard to describe."

Jack: "Try, Laira. I'd like to hear."

Laira unsure, looking from Jack to Johnson.

Major Johnson encouraging her, "Yes, I'd like to hear."

"Well ... she hesitated, "some of us have experienced _losing time_ when we're around them, which is like falling asleep in their presence, or even if they are _not_ present, and then waking but not knowing what happened, and feeling something is missing. As if there is a gap ... I don't know how else to explain it."

Johnson: "Have you experienced that yourself?"

"Yes, once. I felt like I must have fallen asleep standing up, with my eyes open. And then I woke up, with the feeling some time was missing, some gap in my memory. Something ... missing."

Johnson: "Some break in continuity?"

"Yes." Laira shrugged and turned to check her monitor screens, opening up certain access doors inside the mining complex and checking to see that others were locked as required. She made some entries in a log and turned back to Jack and Johnson, frowning. She said, "A feeling of strangeness prevails here now on Edora. Our lives have become alien to us."

Jack said, "I promise you, Laira, we'll come back and look into all this, but right now the priority is to get to where Carter wants her magnetosphere-data readings taken, get the data recorded on our devices and get it back to her."

Laira told him, "I understand. But it's dangerous to go very far from shelter, there's no way to know what may happen. If you go out there now ... you will be putting your lives at risk."

Jack: "Hey, it's what we do."

She realized they'd go no matter what she said. "Alright then, I'm going with you."

Jack: "No, Laira, I don't want to put you at risk."

She said, "It'll be alright. Come with me," leading them around back to where several dune buggy type vehicles were parked, hooked-up to super-size battery chargers.

Johnson immediately impressed when he saw them, "General, these are the new PT-ENV's we've heard about!"

Jack: "Yeah, I've heard about 'em." The PT-ENV's were car-sized and looked something like dune buggies, but they were powerful models modified for rough terrain with super-charged motors and gyroscopic sensors to deter tilting.

Laira: "I'm going with you, and that's final."

The place where Carter wanted the readings taken was about three miles west of the lake, far away from the mine. He said, "O.K, Laira, you win."

She threw some heavy ammo belts and other heavy equipment into one of the vehicles, just to add some extra weight, and gathered some other supplies. She said, "I'm ready, let's go."

o - o - o - o - o

Once outside the mine complex grounds, with the storm diminished and Jack driving the PT-ENV, Jack saw that Edora's population had expanded, and you could see town-squares, markets, new buildings and various machines and technologies. They passed beyond the extensive mining complex grounds to Edoran lands around and beyond the lake, where they soon saw shriveled plants, the landscape parched and burnt and scorched, dried out like a moonscape wasteland.

Laira: "You see? On top of everything else, there's been no rain. The land is dry and cracked."

Johnson asked, "General O'Neill, I've heard of the _fire rain_. Could that have something to do with all this?"

Jack: "No, not likely. Edora's fire rain occurs every year with no negative effects, and the kind of meteor shower that caused so much havoc that first time we were here only happens every hundred and fifty years or so, according to Carter."

"What happened, that first time?"

Jack: "It was 1999. We knew Edora had naquadah deposits, so we'd come to scope out the possibility of a mining agreement with the Edorans. But the fire rain that year did so much damage it practically destroyed the planet. And then the Stargate got buried, leaving me stranded here for over three months. A hundred days, to be exact. I spent most of my time with Laira – I lived with her in her home, until Carter figured out something and Teal'c came to the rescue. He took a big chance, to come and get me. Good ol' Teal'c. Stubborn, dependable Teal'c."

But Jack also remembered how hard it was, having to leave Laira. He avoided that subject, though. He just said, "Anyway, in the end there was a mining agreement for naquadah."

o - o - o - o - o

They continued driving under a dismal gray cloud cover, with dust and sand swirling around them. Jack, Major Johnson and Laira weren't even half way to their destination when temperatures began to rise and gravity began to decrease. They saw small rocks and sand and small animals rising in the air, and any small object not weighted down inside the PT-ENV rose up to the roof.

As traction began to evaporate Laira said, "Don't stop, Jack, what we need is more speed!"

Johnson yelled, "That's right, General, acceleration mimics gravity."

Jack cranked the accelerator but even so things got more crazy as gravel and insects and frogs went splat! against the windshield, making it hard to see, and to make matters worse they were all sweating like crazy as the temperature continued to rise, getting close to a hundred and nineteen. Feeling desperate, they had no choice but to keep driving and try to ride it out.

Jack: "Better buckle up the seat belts."

They sped along for some minutes like that until a rain of sand and magnetized rock pelted their vehicle from above, a sign Edora's gravity had begun to normalize and proving once again that what goes up must come down. Jack finally slowed down, now seeing some huge, rather strange-looking birds in the distance. He stopped the vehicle to look, but by now they were gone.

Johnson: "I saw them too. They looked huge, even at the distance they must have been at."

They both looked at Laira but she just shrugged. Then she said, "They might have been some kind of _mutant_ _creatures_."

Jack: "Say what?"

"It's pure speculation, Jack, but most of us believe something like this might have a connection with _the colony_."

"What do you mean, what _colony_, Laira?"

"I don't know much, just that the mine managers are running some kind of settlement, and it's off-limits and we don't know what they do there. There are many rumors."

"Where is it?"

"That way, over there," pointing northwest.

"So you're saying ..."

"I'm saying there are things that happen on this planet now that we can't explain; maybe they are the result of some kind of _experiment_? But we have nothing but rumors and speculations, and I don't know any more than anyone else."

A lot of time had already been lost, Jack and Johnson had to get moving. They drove on and approached their destination, stopped and got out, as Jack used a hand-held device to get the data Sam asked for**.** It didn't take long**, **it was a matter of pressing a few buttons and checking that everything registered. They got that done but then Major Johnson pointed to something, maybe fifteen yards or so away. Jack tried to make it out, and asked, "What is it?"

Major Johnson went to look. He got up close, right up over it and said, "My God."

Jack was getting closer and asked, "Is it what I think it is?"

Johnson: "Yeah, it's a human hand."

Jack: "Laira? You know anything about this?"

Laira: "No."

They scanned the area and soon found several human fingers lying loose on the ground, but nothing else. Jack asked, "Any cemeteries near here, Laira?"

"No. Not to my knowledge."

After that, they wasted no more time in getting back to the Stargate, and their trip back was uneventful, except that when they got there and got out of the vehicle and began dialing Earth, they found themselves getting drowsy, unexplainably sleepy. A short time must have passed because, as they said later, if seemed they'd "fallen asleep with their eyes open, just standing there staring into space."

_Stroud and Tarren, the newly-ascended protégés who'd followed Jack and Johnson to Edora, went unseen as they immobilized Jack, Johnson and Laira, and used a current of etheric energy to scramble and shred the data Sam asked for from Jack's device into unintelligible gibberish. There was no way Jack and Johnson could know. Then Stroud and Tarren released them._

Suddenly, Jack and Johnson snapped out of the trance-like state. They stood there trying to figure out what had happened. Laira asked, "You felt it too?"

Jack: "Yeah. It's the strangest thing."

Both Jack and Johnson kept looking around, spooked, until Jack said, "We can't take time to figure this out. But we'll be back, Laira, I promise."

Laira drew him to her and hugged him close, whispering, "I know you will." She was a bit teary eyed when she released him and told them, "Good luck, Jack. Goodbye, Major Johnson."

They dialed up Earth and went back through the Stargate.

o - o - o - o - o

Dust storms, temperature swings, anti-gravity phenomena – Sam and Teal'c found none of that when they emerged on K'Tau. Sam said, "It's strangely serene, isn't it, Teal'c?"

"Indeed, this planet appears quite hospitable."

Sam and Teal'c made their way towards the main meeting hall in the village, where they found some of the villagers, including Elrad and Brother Malchus. Elrad took the lead in greeting them: "Dr. Carter, Teal'c, welcome. It is very good to see you again."

Sam: "It's good to be here and see you again too, Elrad, Brother Malchus," Sam and Teal'c shaking hands with them and nodding to the others, Sam thinking, if Brother Malchus is unhappy to see us, he's keeping his emotions in check pretty well.

Both Sam and Teal'c remembered well their first visit to K'Tau many years ago with SG-1. Soon after their arrival K'Tau's sun went through a transformation where light shifted towards the red portion of the spectrum, blocking photosynthesis and throwing the planet's balance off, and in the process threatening to destroy all forms of life. At that time, Carter theorized that some unusually destructive heavy element somehow traveled with SG-1 through the wormhole, which then passed directly through the path of K'Tau's sun, causing the red shift. K'Tau narrowly avoided a disaster.

Directing his words at Elrad, Teal'c said, "It appears conditions have improved greatly on K'Tau since last I visited."

Elrad: "Yes, Teal'c, we've seen some improvement since you were here."

Sam: "Any way to account for it?"

Brother Malchus jumped in, "No, nothing of importance."

Sam: "Brother Malchus, our purpose in coming here is to collect any scientific data that might help with our situation on Earth. Is there anything new you can tell us, anything at all here on Edora, since Teal'c visited?"

"Nothing that concerns you," said Brother Malchus.

But Elrad spoke up, hesitantly at first. "Dr. Carter, there is something ..." as he and Brother Malchus exchanged a look. "I will tell you of a development here, so you will know the true facts and not think we are hiding anything – although we see no connection with anything that will help your investigation. Nevertheless ... about a month ago a group of settlers from Edora arrived through the Stargate, and asked if they could create a new settlement. They refer to their settlement as a _colony_. They asked our permission, you understand, and wanted nothing from us, assuring us they came in peace and that they would keep their distance. We agreed to permit it."

"So, you trust them?" Sam trying to process this new information. "Forgive me if I seem to question your decision, but our experience is that strangers are not always welcomed on K'Tau."

Brother Malchus: "We don't deny that, but the settlers are believers, travelers who came looking for religious liberty and freedom." Again Brother Malchus and Elrad glanced at each other, and Brother Malchus continued, "It happens that they believe as we do, in _Ragnarok_, which in our religious teachings refers to the end of the world."

Sam and Teal'c let that sink in, then Elrad said, "In any case, the arrangement has caused us no significant problems."

Sam: "If I may ask – where is their settlement?"

Elrad pointing, "That way, to the west."

Sam and Teal'c exchanged a glance of their own. They both knew that the settlement must be in the same area as the place Teal'c once described as a "leper colony."

Brother Malchus: "But we must advise you, their settlement must be considered as strictly off-limits."

Now Teal'c spoke up, "Elrad, Brother Malchus, when I visited here some time ago I several times heard of a settlement to the west, though I knew nothing of its origin. A Tau'ri medical doctor, who was visiting at that time, told me of rumors he had heard, which spoke of people who had medical problems, and disabilities, and the phrase he used to describe it was a _leper colony_. Can you tell me, is there any truth to those rumors, of which that doctor spoke?"

Brother Malchus:** "**Whether it be called a settlement or a colony makes no difference, because the rumors are certainly untrue, and it is certainly no _leper colony_. There are no people there with disabilities ... in fact, on the contrary, everyone there is in perfect health."

_Yes, in perfect health, because when the work went well it went very well indeed. The name of the one newly-ascended protégé who invisibly followed Sam and Teal'c through the Stargate, was Lem._

_The work was going well on K'Tau, but was not without complications: the complex mixture used for primer pheromones caused clusters of infertilization, and the development of hybrid embryonic rejuvenation was currently at a stand-still. _

Brother Malchus continued, "In any case, I remind you again that the settlement area is off-limits. I trust that you will not disturb them."

Elrad asked, "Where do you intend to go, to take your scientific readings?"

Sam: "I'd want to take readings about a mile east of your village."

Malchus: "Very well, we shall appoint one of our villagers to go with you, as a guide to help you find your way."

Sam: "That won't be necessary."

Malchus: "We think it _is_ necessary, Dr. Carter. In fact, we already have someone in mind." Looking towards the back of their group, pointing him out, waving him over to join them. Brother Malchus introduced them to each other: "Your guide's name is Zachar, one of our best men."

o - o - o - o - o

Sam, Teal'c and their guide left the area of the village, Sam noticing that the village environs seemed to have expanded considerably since the last time she was here. She also noticed how incredibly quiet it was. A beautiful day here, but there was not even the chirp of a bird, not even the buzz of a bee, just a tranquil silence, almost eerie in its completeness.

As they walked, Sam asked, "Zachar, I get the impression that Brother Malchus holds the new settlers in high esteem. Is that right?"

Zachar replied, "I suppose you are right."

Sam: "What about you, do you feel the same way?"

"There is some debate among us about how we feel about these new _preachers_ – which is how I think of them."

"Why?"

"Because they consider us _sub-standard_. They have said they are planning to make _improvements_. On the other hand, I believe they have our best interests at heart."

Sam: "Hmmm. Interesting."

Teal'c: "Indeed."

Zachar: "Some believe they have super powers ... though such ideas may be a bit of an exaggeration. But I must admit, they seem to have better hearing, better eyesight, more strength and energy."

Sam: "Do they look different? I mean, how would I recognize them?"

"There is something, though ... it is hard to explain. But I believe you will know them if you see them."

o - o - o - o - o

Sam brought multiple data collection and analysis devices, including her fractal nonlinear resonance device, and as they walked Sam occasionally stopped to take readings. She wanted to measure such things as the levels of oxygen isotopes in K'Tau's sediment cores, intending to compare K'Tau's levels with representative levels on Earth. Though higher oxygen isotope levels were contra-indicated in polar reversals, she believed higher levels still might verify planet rotation irregularities, and point toward ... but now Sam was getting an unusual reading on an entirely different, entirely unsuspected category. She suddenly froze, her jaw dropping, staring at the read-out from one of her devices.

Teal'c saw the shock on her face and asked, "What is it, Dr. Carter?"

Sam said, "I'm getting a reading for _neutronium_, and it's quite a bit higher than I would ever have imagined!"

Teal'c was, of course, quite aware of neutronium's pivotal role in replicator technology. Sam continued, "The levels are _much_ higher than the trace amounts I'd normally expect to find. I'm not sure what the implications are ... but get this: my readings are showing something else too, a large store of neutronium to the west." Pointing in that direction, "The same direction as that new settlement that Elrad and Brother Malchus told us about!"

Sam thinking, she wished she could get a look at that _colony_, and just then Teal'c said, "Dr. Carter, if it were possible, I would like to explore that new settlement." Teal'c gazing in that direction, "As the Tau'ri say, _I have a_ _feeling_."

"You must be reading my mind, Teal'c. But time is short and our number one priority has to be getting back so I can analyze this data." Then quietly, so their guide, Zachar, wouldn't hear, she whispered, "Unless maybe we can sneak a peek on the way back."

They passed through an area of rolling hills, then reached the flat, open area where Sam wanted to conduct her primary magnetic field analysis. With a few clicks she collected and recorded the data; with another couple of clicks she verified that the data was properly stored. Sam said, "O.K., primary mission accomplished."

On the way back, they put the question to their guide; Zachar responded, "I do not approve of any attempt to observe our new settlers, or gather information on their colony. However, I will not stop you. It is not my place."

They left the path they'd followed before, following a new path towards the settlement. Their guide stopped when they reached the point which, he told them, marked the boundary of the new settlement area. He told them he'd wait for them there.

Rolling hills and rocky soil made it slow-going as Sam and Teal'c proceeded in a westerly direction, but then, no more than five or six minutes after starting in, Sam saw something high in the sky, still far in the distance.

"Teal'c, are those birds ... or some kind of aircraft?"

"I believe they are neither birds nor aircraft, Dr. Carter."

"Then, what _are_ they?"

Teal'c stood scanning the sky, focusing. As old as Teal'c was, his eyesight was still much better than that of any human. He said, "They are, in fact, the same kind of hybrid bird-creatures we encountered in the tunnels."

Teal'c's stark appraisal made Sam's jaw drop, and sent a shiver down her spine. She looked closely and said, "Oh my God, you're right!" Still looking, she said, "They look bigger, though, and no issue of visibility."

As they began retreating Sam said, "Teal'c, let's get outta here!"

"I am close behind you, Dr. Carter."

They started running, scrambling up the first hillside, Sam tripping and almost falling on a rocky patch of ground but Teal'c catching her, helping her get moving forward again, Teal'c searching in his belt as they ran, both of them sneaking a look back at the sky and seeing several huge hybrid creatures in the sky, screeching and shrieking loudly and getting closer ... until Teal'c saw that one of them seemed to convulse and collapse in mid-air, crashing heavily to the ground. They saw the others hesitate and hover and retreat, and Teal'c called out, "Dr. Carter! Look," as he pointed, "they are leaving." Still watching them, "It appears the creatures are returning to the settlement area."

They stood there watching them retreat out of sight, feeling relieved, but within fifteen or twenty seconds or so they caught sight of them again and Sam said, "No, look, they're coming back. At least, I _think_ it's them."

But something looked different. They soon realized what the difference was: The sky was filling with _dozens_ of the hybrid creatures. No, many more than that – Sam quickly estimating maybe _hundreds_! That part of the sky almost black with them, and the air buzzing with the vibration like a million wings flapping in the air!

Sam and Teal'c again began a pell-mell retreat, mustering all the speed and energy they could, looking for cover but none to be found, Sam trying to push herself and shift gears but for one thing she had all that equipment with her, especially the three data analysis devices she'd brought, Teal'c soon aware of this, grabbing the two bigger devices himself though they slowed him down too, shouting to Carter, "Just keep moving, Dr. Carter" ... and she was doing her best ... but it wasn't going to be enough, because as hard as they tried and as fast as they ran, when the creatures descended they'd be all over them because there wasn't any cover, and they knew it.

They weren't that far from where the guide lay waiting for them, crouching on the ground, flattening himself out and lying still and trying to make himself go unnoticed by the creatures, and at this point the hybrid creatures were still pretty high up, but beginning their descent ... and you could tell by the shrill screeching squawking sound they were getting much closer, and fast.

The mass of them now casting a shadow from overhead, the sound like a _hissss_ and the flapping of wings getting closer felt almost overwhelming for Sam, Teal'c thinking he would do what he could to protect Dr. Carter, but also realizing that once the creatures got right down on top of them there would be no defense against an attack of that scale ...

Nevertheless Teal'c still under control, but for Sam the situation pushed up her adrenaline and blood pressure, up and up and spinning out of control as a click went off in Sam's mind – triggering a flood of raving-mad memories of what happened in the tunnels, all that chaos and being sprawled out on the ground and bleeding, Stefan not far away on the ground too, the both of them screaming, the creatures bombarding them like dive bombers with their beaks and claws ... _zap! zap! zap!_ Sam sprawled out on the ground and bleeding and yelling, "I'm hit!" and just like now there wasn't any cover and there was nowhere to go, the frenzied creatures slicing in and out and attacking from all sides with blade-like wings and deadly claws, pecking at them with their beaks, going for their eyes and throats ... ...

Sam trying to block the memory of it, still running with Teal'c back toward the point where their guide still waited, Zachar crouching low, and then something happened: the creatures stopped, hovering in air. As if held back by an invisible boundary, or an invisible fence. They hovered for several seconds then began returning en masse, back toward the settlement colony.

Sam and Teal'c still breathing hard, watching them retreat; still unclear as to whether they'd come back. Teal'c said, "Perhaps their role is simply to protect the colony from intruders."

Sam said, "Yes, maybe, but then what are they protecting?"

They rejoined Zachar, collected themselves and began the trek back, Sam now feeling bone-weary, Teal'c also feeling the strain of what they'd been through. They trudged back to the Gate, but as they approached the Stargate they became extremely drowsy – just as Jack and Major Johnson had felt on their return to the Gate.

Sam said, "I guess it's understandable, after all that running, but I can barely keep my eyes open."

Teal'c: "I am likewise experiencing fatigue, and the feeling that I must sleep. Most unusual."

They'd pushed themselves and reached the Gate and had begun dialing Earth when they froze, losing track of time for several seconds, and as they said later, it seemed they'd "fallen asleep with their eyes open, just standing there staring into space."

_Lem, the newly-ascended protégé who'd followed Sam and Teal'c to K'Tau, went unseen as he immobilized Sam and Teal'c and used a current of etheric energy to scramble and shred the data Sam collected in her device – into unintelligible gibberish. There was no way Sam and Teal'c could know what had happened. _

Suddenly, Sam and Teal'c snapped out of the trance-like state. They came to and recovered themselves, wondering, "What happened?"

But there was no time left for questioning or analyzing; the deadline they'd set for themselves was already past. Sam and Teal'c waved goodbye to Zachar ... and returned to Earth through the Stargate.


	16. Chapter 16

**16**

Sam and Teal'c returned back through the Stargate to Cheyenne Mountain, joining Jack and Major Johnson who'd returned just minutes before.

Sam told the others, "Wait until you hear about our adventure on K'Tau."

Jack: "Oh, we've got a pretty good story to tell too, but go ahead Carter, you first."

They each told their stories of what happened ... but Sam's priority was to get a look at the data they'd retrieved so she took Jack's device and left to do some analysis. Soon afterwards Teal'c got a call on his cell phone, and as he took the call he heard a familiar voice: "Teal'c, this is Nikki."

"Good afternoon, Nicole Jackson. Are you well?"

"I'm O.K. The reason I'm calling, Teal'c, is because I haven't been able to reach my father."

"He has not yet returned from Cimmeria. We are expecting your father and Stefan Davidson here at Cheyenne Mountain very soon."

"Well, when he gets back, can you give him a message for me? Tell him I won't be able to call for a while, because I'll be _in training_."

"Your father will ask what you mean. Can you describe to me ..."

"I can't, Teal'c," Nikki interrupted, "because I don't know yet, exactly. It's just what Sandrine told me. So please just tell him that, about me being in training, and at least he'll know I'm O.K."

"As you wish, Nicole Jackson. I shall relay your message to your father."

"Thanks, Teal'c. Tell everyone else there I said hello, but I gotta go. Good luck with whatever you're working on there."

"Good luck to you too, Nicole Jackson."

"Bye, Teal'c," as Nikki ended the call.

After her call, Nikki thought about how she wished she could tell them about Maghav Rek'iel, but she couldn't because of the _Prime Directive_, which meant non-interference with humans. And though she wasn't ascended yet, the information she'd received was told in confidence and she was strictly forbidden to talk of it. She knew her father didn't get any real details from herself or Sandrine; they'd spoken in broad generalities and all he knew was that the ascended beings needed her help on a mission of great importance. But it was interesting too, she thought, to realize that from the point of view of the Others, playing _The Game_ was meant to help ascended beings in the ascended realm, and helping humans was merely an indirect consequence.

o - o - o - o - o

Back at the Gateroom, where Jack and the others were still debriefing with General Landry, Sam came back in and told them, disgusted, "I got nothing."

Jack: "What d'ya mean, Carter?"

Sam, disappointment and frustration in her voice, "Nothing came through. Neither device captured any data."

Jack: "But the device verified it _took_, just like you showed me."

Sam: "Yes, I imagine it did, because so did mine. But it's gone now – every bit of information is scrambled and shredded beyond repair."

Silence filled the room, nobody knew what to say. Sam walked out, muttering to herself, "I can't understand it."

o - o - o - o - o

On Cimmeria, Daniel and Stefan came through the Stargate but found none of the local inhabitants thereabouts. When they did a brief search of the village and found no one, Daniel said, "Well, Stefan, does this feel a bit ominous or what? I at least hoped to see our old friend Gairwyn."

They went looking, knocking on doors and poking their noses into a few windows. Considering the priority of retrieving the data Sam wanted, they didn't have a lot of time, but while they checked things out Stefan asked, "What happened here on Cimmeria, Dr. Jackson, with SG-1?"

Daniel: "Well ..." thinking, that seemed a long time ago. "Well, the Asgard set up an anti-Goa'uld weapon to protect the people here on Cimmeria ... something the Cimmerians called _Thor's Hammer_. Unfortunately, that first time, Teal'c became a target, and when we were in the _Hall of Thor's Might_..." as Daniel gave Stefan a play-by-play narrative about the unas who followed them in the cave. But Daniel didn't tell Stefan about how he sacrificed his chance to save Sha're, when he used Teal'c's staff weapon to destroy Thor's Hammer in order to save Teal'c. It was too painful a memory, even after all this time.

And Daniel didn't have time to tell Stefan about their second time on Cimmeria, when the Asgard intervened with what the Cimmerians called _Thor's Chariot_; according to plan, Daniel and Stefan's time here was strictly limited.

Stefan asked, "Not a single Cimmerian. What could've happened to them?"

Daniel: "Beats me. But we've gotta move out, and try to stick to our priorities."

Stefan: "Yeah, you're right. Where does Dr. Carter want the data recorded?"

Daniel: "North, about a ten minutes walk from the village."

o - o - o - o - o

_Back at the Gate: The two protégés who'd followed Daniel and Stefan through the Stargate, a male and female named Taft and Shelley, had instructions from Rek'iel and remained near the Stargate. Perhaps Shelley shouldn't have been paired with Taft, nor with any other newly ascended-in-the-flesh protégés either. Because, it was said, she "spoke her mind" too much, and because, others said, she "didn't fit in." _

o - o - o - o - o

It was 10:22 in the morning on Cimmeria, as Daniel and Stefan passed the edge of the village and continued north towards the aqueduct, which rose through sloping foothills towards _the Hall of Thor's Might_. But Daniel and Stefan hadn't proceeded all that far when ... there was Gairwyn ahead of them, approaching from the opposite direction. _Finally_, Daniel and Stefan thought, some _contact_! Gairwyn and three other villagers were coming down the mountain towards them, apparently on their way back towards the village.

Daniel shouted, "Gairwyn!"

Gairwyn: "Daniel! Thank the Gods you're here! We _need_ you!"

Daniel: "Why? And where _is_ everyone? We couldn't find ..."

Gairwyn spoke quickly, "Listen, Daniel, listen. We've lost a number of our villagers. We don't know what's behind it, but over the last two days ... the number we've lost is now at thirteen."

"What do you mean, you _lost_ them?"

"Korr was the first. Two days ago he became dizzy and disoriented, then found it hard to move. Within an hour he could not move at all. He was awake and breathing normally but a strong rigidity set in, as if he were _paralyzed_. He has remained that way ever since."

Gairwyn was trembling. "Then others began experiencing the same paralysis – Riddoc, Sloan, Tavis, Kern, then some of our women, Boanne and Fenella and Brid. By evening there were others, among them Kimri and Mellan and Neala and Mab, it just keeps getting worse. And there's more too, because ..."

Stefan interrupted, "Did you try dousing them with cold water?"

"We tried everything, but nothing works." Gairwyn almost beside herself with worry, straining to remain calm but barely able to contain her desperation. "Nothing helps and there's no way to know who will be next. We don't know what to do."

Daniel: "Alright, we can bring in a medical team, or maybe take some of your villagers through the Gate, although ... I wish I could see for myself."

"It would mean the world to me, Daniel, if you would come with me." Gairwyn's voice was full of desperation.

Daniel and Stefan exchanged a look of exasperation, certainly wanting to help but at the same time acutely aware of their time constraints. They could see Gairwyn was spooked and traumatized, but Gairwyn was headed in the opposite direction from where Daniel and Stefan needed to go.

Gairwyn: "I know you have your own work to do, because something brought you here, but _please_ _Daniel_, we need your help!"

Stefan: "What do you think, Dr. Jackson? Can we afford the time?"

"No," Daniel frowned, "we don't have time." Daniel calculating, thinking quickly, "But here's what we're going to do: we'll split up."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. Daniel said, "You'll take two of the villagers with you and go get the data Sam wants, while I go with Gairwyn. After you get the data – and this is the important part – don't wait for us. In case I get caught up in any delay, I want you to get back through the Gate to the SGC as soon as possible. Understand?"

Stefan nodded yes.

Daniel: "Getting back to Sam is the top priority, but tell them what Gairwyn told us about their people here and that I requested a medical team here as soon as possible. O.K.? Don't let anything hold you up."

Stefan: "O.K., got it."

Daniel asked, "You won't have any trouble dialing, will you?"

Stefan: "No, I've seen it done enough times."

They each went their own way, Stefan with two of the villagers following the aqueduct up the mountain, while Gairwyn, Daniel and the other villager went back down toward the village.

o - o - o - o - o

As they walked Daniel asked, "Gairwyn, we couldn't find a single person in the village. Where _is _everyone?"

Gairwyn: "There's two places. Out of fear, we've abandoned our village and taken people who were stricken with the illness to the caves just south of the village. But some villagers were so fearful they wanted to get further away, and are hiding in the far caves to the north, up along the aqueduct. But Daniel, I haven't told you everything – there's more and it gets worse."

"What is it, Gairwyn? You can tell me."

"Starting early this morning some others also fell ill, not with paralysis but something like the opposite. They've become _unstable_."

Daniel: "Unstable? What do you mean?"

"I've seen villagers shrieking and shaking, or with outbursts of uncontrollable laughter ... some seem to have hallucinations."

To Daniel, she seemed gripped by some terrible fear. She said, "I don't know ... you must see for yourself."

o - o - o - o - o

Meanwhile, within an hour after he left Daniel, Stefan and the two villagers who'd gone with him reached a plateau along the aqueduct far up the mountain; soon afterwards they arrived at the place Sam had directed Daniel and Stefan to collect the data she wanted. Stefan and the villagers rested and drank some water from canteens, but once there it didn't take long: Stefan took out a portable device, pressed some buttons, checked to verify the data was indeed properly recorded, and then turned to begin the walk back to the Stargate.

o - o - o - o - o

_At just about the same time, Shelley and Taft, the two Maghav protégés, were back at the Stargate, where Shelley had been speaking her mind for some time already. Shelley said:_

"You know, Taft, those defective creatures in the tunnels on Earth, well, they ..."

Taft: "Yes?"

Shelley: "They had tracking modules in their systems."

Taft generally tried to ignore Shelley as much as possible. He said, "They came aboard in the early days ... it's understandable, seems to me."

Shelley: "Maybe. I just hope we don't have them too."

Taft hesitated, then replied, "If so, well, so what? They wouldn't control us."

"True, but I wouldn't like the idea of being tracked." She paused, then continued, "And I don't know why we should be doing their dirty work. This isn't what I signed-on for."

Taft said, "You're way out of line."

"Are you aware there's plans for hundreds, maybe thousands just like us?"

"You're saying they consider us expendable?"

Shelley spoke firmly, "We're an experiment to them. If something happens to us, they've got hundreds more to take our place."

"But you misunderstand, Shelley. It's not about you or me. What we're doing is bigger than any of us. Anyway, how do you claim to know the truth of such things?"

"I have a contact on the highest ascended plane."

"Pure fabrication. You have no such contact."

"Yes I do. She is in contact with Oma Desala."

Through Oma's contact, Shelley knew a lot. From her she knew that the Others were just one group of ascended beings, a group with Lantean roots. But there were other groups too, even a number of Maghav Rek'iel and Mar'tan supporters.

Shelley then told Taft, "I believe many supporters of the Mahgavs are on Cimmeria right now, experimenting and posing a danger to the simple people that live here."

Taft: "What nonsense, Shelley. Your mind is full of wild imaginings. I don't know where you get these things, but I shall certainly speak to someone about you when we return."

Thankfully, Shelly knew that Taft's bark was worse than his bite; he threatened, but wasn't so bad a sort as to actually report her.

Taft said, "However, to address your concerns, let us remember that every worthwhile goal involves some risk. As Maghav Rek'iel always tells us, If you want to make ..."

"Yes, I know," Shelley interrupted. "If you want to make an omelette, you have to break some eggs."

"That's right. And I hope you know the truth of it."

"One thing I grant you, Taft – you are a true believer."

Shelley wished she could talk to Maghav Mar'tan, alone. She believed that Rek'iel and Mar'tan saw things differently. Mar'tan, at least, might be willing to listen.

_Shelley knew a lot, but there was a lot she didn't know, too. She knew nothing about Experiment 7.6, performed ten days ago, which involved the hybridization of ascended beings in-the-flesh with a replicator-nanite technology component: the physical bodies would someday have neutronium-based components. And Shelley knew nothing about Experiment 7.9, initiated three days ago, the experiment now causing problems for Cimmerians. It involved replacing etheric energy as an artificial ascension power source with the energy of zero-point fields. When a geo-magnetic florescent field fractured, an energy bubble developed and blew a hole through the force-field shielding set up by those conducting the experiments. Geo-magnetic sheets of energy got loose and drifted across the planet's surface, spreading toxic heavy-element debris. _

_Attempts to control the situation were on-going but so far had only limited success. According to an experiment administrator briefing, Cimmeria's inhabitants were likely to experience neural-network disturbance and debilitating cognitive-synaptic fusion, and other negative reactions were also possible._

o - o - o - o - o

Daniel and Gairwyn eventually made their way to the caves south of the village, where a villager named Finnbar met them and summed up the situation: "Nothing has changed, Gairwyn. They are neither better nor worse."

As they went inside Daniel's eyes gradually adjusted to the dim light and shadows, but despite Gairwyn's description Daniel wasn't prepared for what he saw: Those who'd been stricken with rigidity were lying on the floor or on cots, others stuck in odd shapes as if cemented in place, or even stuck standing up, straight and stiff as a board.

As they went further into the caves Daniel found the others Gairwyn described, those who seemed agitated, walking back and forth or in circles, talking to themselves, others with hysterical outbursts of laughter or weeping, some apparently hallucinating. To Daniel, it felt like being in a mental asylum.

He talked to several villagers who were exhausted from caring for the others, fearful for themselves, not knowing who would be next.

Daniel went through a mental catalogue of similar cases seen while with SG-1, as when they were on the planet Vagonbrei, where a sleeper parasite that fed on melatonin almost caused the deaths of team members who fell asleep, or the case of the planet where they'd searched for the Sangraal and found a number of the planet's inhabitants frozen in a time-distortion field. But none of the past cases he could think of, as he saw it, quite fit the situation here.

Baffled, Daniel went over to one man sitting by himself, completely immobile. Daniel asked Finnbar for the small hammer hanging from his toolbelt, took it and padded it with toweling and then tapped the man's knee: It moved! "Look," Daniel yelled, "a normal reflex reaction!"

Surprised, he tried it again, and again got the normal reflex movement. He said, "But if it's not physically locked in place, then ... I don't know. Maybe there's some _mental_ component involved here? Especially, considering the others who seem hyperactive or manic or whatever you'd call it?"

Daniel turned to return Finnbar's hammer ... but he was gone. He asked Gairwyn what happened to him but Gairwyn answered, "I don't know, he was right here a moment ago."

Another villager who'd been looking on spoke up: "He just disappeared!"

Gairwyn: "What do you mean?" The villager, who looked pale and scared, told them, "I saw Finnbar vanish in thin air!"

Gairwyn turned around, looking in every direction and calling out, "Finnnnbarrrr," as her voice cave echoed inside the cave.

Then a villager, from further back in the cave, who'd been looking afer those who'd been affected, came and told Gairwyn, "Cael and Arendt just disappeared, right in front of my eyes! I don't understand it but I swear to you I'm telling the truth – they just disappeared in front of me and they're gone!"

Everyone mystified as they went searching the cave; they didn't know what else to do. Daniel searching too, everyone bewildered and wishing they could wake up from this bad dream, but after searching for a few minutes Daniel noticed something: from a certain angle, you could just barely make out vague forms and dark shadowy shapes floating in the air in the cave. And perhaps a glimmer, too, on the edges? Yes, he thought, yes. It reminded him of trying to see the creatures in the tunnels under Jerusalem, when Nikki'd been with them.

"Look," as he pointed. "See those shiny patches, floating in the air? I think that's where they are."

Gairwyn: "Where?"

Daniel: "Look out of the corner of your eye. There's shiny patches, dim forms – you see them?"

Gairwyn trying to look, "Yes, I think I see something ... a shiny glimmer, floating in the air! You think ... ?"

Daniel: "Maybe. It's possible."

They all looked, most of the others chiming in, "I see them! I see them!" It wasn't easy, but they could make out shiny areas floating in the air, just hanging there, dim, vaguely glimmering outlines that Daniel believed might be the missing villagers.

Gairwyn said, "Yes, we can see something, but what does it _mean_?"

Daniel: "I don't know, and we don't know if they can see or hear us." And he wondered, could they somehow be _out of phase_?

But now another villager arrived at the cave, asked for Daniel and was pointed towards him. He found Daniel and told him, "The friend who came with you through the Stargate has become immobile like some of our villagers. He has not moved for a long time, he isn't responding."

Daniel in shock. He believed Stefan to be long gone from Cimmeria, certain he would have already got back to Earth hours ago!

Practically speechless, Daniel said, "Let's go. Take me to him."

Daniel looked at his watch: it was already past 2:30 in the afternoon, Daniel thinking, this was bad, this was very, very bad. But Daniel also knew nothing would get the lost time back, it was useless thinking about it now.

They walked uphill along the aqueduct for some distance before turning in a northerly direction towards the far caves, Daniel's thoughts swirling in all directions far and wide. He worried about Gairwyn and these simple-living Cimmerians who were practically under siege. He thought of Sam and Teal'c on K'Tau and Jack and Major Johnson on Edora, hoping they were having a better time of it than he was. His thoughts drifted to his daughter; what was she going through? Was she alright? There were so many details he wished he knew; maybe, if he could talk to Sandrine, maybe she could ...

Gairwyn's voice scattered his thoughts, "I'm sorry, Daniel, for all of this. I know you have a deadline you're trying to keep."

"It's O.K., Gairwyn. It'll be alright." Though the truth was, he'd never have gone to the caves with her unless he'd thought Stefan could manage on his own.

They walked as fast as they could and when they finally got there they found Stefan lying on the ground, awake but immobile like the others he'd seen.

Daniel told Gairwyn and the villagers, "I don't know what kind of phenomena we're dealing with here, but I need to get Stefan back to Cheyenne Mountain. Gairwyn, I'll report everything that's happened and get a medical team back here as soon as possible, I promise. But right now I've got to get Stefan back through the Gate."

Slowly, laboriously, all of them helped carry Stefan as they made their way back to the Stargate. Near the Gate, Daniel again looked at his watch: by now it was 4:00 PM.

Daniel: "I'll send help, Gairwyn, I promise."

Two villagers kept Stefan standing up while Daniel began dialing the Stargate, but while Daniel dialed ... sleepiness crept in and he drifted into the same trance-like state that Jack and Sam and the others experienced when they were about to return. To the villagers watching, Daniel appeared to freeze for several seconds, or to fall asleep standing up!

_The Maghavs' protégé, Taft, had immobilized Daniel and then scrambled the data collected on their device ... but Shelley's attention was elsewhere. She saw glowing bulges embedded deep inside Daniel's and Stefan's unconscious minds – they were the downloads randomly imparted to thousands of ordinary humans that day on Earth, on the road from the Tel Aviv airport. She knew their origin, too: Merlin. But most importantly, she observed that the downloads were defective and would never activate without a triggering mechanism; they'd need a "cue" to set them off. _

_She saw that Taft's attention was no longer on Daniel and Stefan –whatever she did would be undetected. Shelley hesitated ... then made a decision to ignore the party line, to follow her own conscience and do what she thought was right. _

_She directed a flow of etheric energy to unscramble the data on Daniel's portable device, and, almost simultaneously, inserted a triggering mechanism, implanting a cue in each man's unconscious mind that would set off the downloads once back on Earth. The cue would only work in coordination with an active hologram – if Merlin had provided for that – but that was out of her hands._

_Shelley wanted the source of their problems known to them, known as clearly as the purest spring water. She whispered the cue: 'the_ _purest spring water.' _

Once released from the trance-like state, Daniel was left with a feeling of being strangely disoriented; he did his best to shake it off but couldn't help wondering ... _what_ _just_ _happened_?

Daniel completed dialing for Earth. He still felt disoriented but knew he had no time to stop and analyze, no time for anything except getting back home. He waved goodbye to Gairwyn and got hold of Stefan as best he could, shouldering him as he stepped through the Stargate.


	17. Chapter 17

**17**

**Sept. 9, late afternoon, Cheyenne Mountain Complex. **

"This is incredible!" General Landry could hardly believe what he was seeing. "The situation in the waters south of Florida began unfolding while your teams were off-world."

Sam, Jack, Teal'c, General Landry and everyone else back in Conference Room D had their eyes glued to television screens.

Jack: "This is _crazy_!"

Sam: "It seems like everything's accelerating!"

Teal'c: "Indeed."

Jack: "Are all the original phenomena morphing into new forms?"

General Landry: "I don't know, but it certainly seems like every couple of hours brings another disaster or some other strange phenomenon." He paused, watching the screen, then continued, "World-wide, the wild temperature swings have gotten worse, and the Israeli population's in a full-scale panic after another round of reverse-gravity episodes. But as you can see, the new phenomenon at center-stage right now is south of Florida, in the area usually referred to as the Bermuda Triangle."

They all stood there, looking at the screens.

Sam told them, "Water temperatures there seem to be rising exponentially. Look," as she pointed to the screen, "those are 3-D infra-red images showing the change in the waters, which went from hot to boiling ... and look what's happening now, below the surface."

Everyone looking, trying to decipher what it meant.

Sam turned to another screen which showed a close-up and said, "Look at this! Do you see this? Are you getting what this is showing?"

Jack, Teal'c and General Landry could see that some potentially devastating phenomenon was in play, but the science involved escaped them.

Sam explained, "There's a terrific amount of heat and pressure tunneling down through the ocean floor ... like you'd see if it were a nuclear meltdown."

Jack: "Yeah ... I see it. And the surface area ... you see that? It seems to be expanding!"

Teal'c had the remote in hand and Sam asked, "Teal'c, can you turn it to Channel 30? They were showing it from other angles a little earlier."

But just before Teal'c hit the clicker Jack said, "Hold on, Teal'c," as the coverage moved on to another scene making the news: Huge protests outside the CERN particle accelerator laboratory in Switzerland.

Jack had been following this story too and said, "Carter, a lot of people think CERN has mad scientists who've let a nuclear experiment – or some other crazy experiment, get out of hand. Is there any possibility that what they've been doing at CERN is the cause of the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon? Or, for that matter, be the cause of any of the other strange phenomena we've seen?"

Sam: "I don't think so. People I know at CERN would have clued me in to a connection if there were one. I happen to think the group in CERN is honest and not responsible for any of this."

One of General Landry's aides came and announced, "Dr. Jackson and Dr. Davidson are back from Cimmeria. They're in the Infirmary."

Landry: "How are they?"

Aide: "I don't know, sir, but Dr. Jackson looks kinda beat-up, and Dr. Davidson seems _paralyzed_."

General Landry shook his head and said, "Well, people, I'll be back. I need to see how Daniel and Stefan are doing."

Jack: "I'm going with you," as Sam and Teal'c joined him too.

o - o - o - o - o

They found Daniel lying back, looking exhausted. Stefan was still immobile but the on-duty doctor, Georgina Stanhope, told them, "There are no indications of brain injury nor evidence of unusual brain-wave activity. I think he'll come around." She mentioned other factors that had her feeling optimistic, and told them she was confident he would eventually recover.

General Landry asked, "Daniel, how are you feeling?"

Daniel barely managed a half-smile, "I'm O.K., General. I'll make it." Daniel truly not feeling well and just trying to muster some energy, telling them, "You will _not_ believe what happened on Cimmeria!"

Jack exchanged a look with Carter and said, "We'll believe it."

Daniel gave a brief account of what happened on Cimmeria, Sam listening with the others as Daniel told about Gairwyn and the caves and the villagers falling asleep and not waking up and how some of them seemed to have completely _disappeared_. Sam listening, as fascinated as the others but also preoccupied with wanting to find out if Daniel's device might have somehow recovered some of the data she desperately wanted, and so eventually she said, "Daniel, let me have a look at the device I gave you." Daniel reached in his pocket for it ... and found it. "Here it is," as he handed it over.

Sam taking a quick look, examining it.

Meanwhile, Teal'c leaned in to Daniel and quietly said, "Daniel Jackson, while you were gone your daughter called my phone. She was trying to reach you."

Daniel: "Oh. Did she seem O.K.?"

Teal'c: "Yes, in fact she said that she was O.K. She also told me to give you a message – that she is _in training_."

Daniel: "_In training_? Did she say anything about what that means?"

Teal'c: "No, she did not explain. But she said she is _under the direction of Sandrine_."

Sam finished her quick examination of Daniel's device and told him, "I'm shocked ... your device actually worked."

Daniel: "You're surprised that it worked?"

Sam: "Nobody else's did. Yours was the only one that functioned as it should." She shrugged. "What data it actually contains remains to be seen, but at least the data's not scrambled."

Daniel: "Well, I'm glad _something_ went right."

Sam: "Now that I've got something to work with, let me get back to work," as she left and went back to her lab.

General Landry: "After I talk to the President, I've got some reporters to meet."

Jack: "I've got to do a teleconference with Global, Daniel, but I'll be back."

Daniel struggled to get up, "Jack, let me come with you and ..."

Doctor Stanhope: "Please don't get up, Dr. Jackson. I'd like to do a work-up on your condition."

Daniel: "No, I'm O.K., I just want ..."

Jack: "Daniel, I strongly recommend you stay here and follow the doctor's orders. Besides, Stefan might wake up, find himself alone and freak out – who knows?"

Daniel, grudgingly, "Well, alright. I guess I could rest up a bit."

Teal'c stayed but everybody else left, as the doctor did some checking on Daniel then said she'd be back soon. Daniel pulled out his cell phone and tried calling Nikki but got nothing except voice mail. Minutes passed, he tried a couple more times, unsuccessfully, before he put the phone down, and when Teal'c eventually realized Daniel Jackson had dozed off, he also left to join those others in Conference Room D who were watching the news coverage.

o - o - o - o - o

Daniel woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing.

"Dad?"

"Nikki! Finally."

Daniel got himself up and into a chair, telling himself to stay on an even keel and not get emotional. He said, "Teal'c mentioned Sandrine's got you _in training_."

"Yeah, it's true. I feel different."

"Already? How so?"

"It's supposed to be a crash course. Sandrine has me on a special diet and breathing exercises ... and she's got equipment to monitor my alpha waves when I'm sleeping ... you know, a whole program."

"Wow, sounds ambitious."

"Yeah, but that's not all. That's not the main thing."

"Go on, tell me."

"Well, Sandrine and Lilavale and some of the Others told me they want to try something different, where I'll ascend in stages, gradually. The thing is, I'm feeling something already."

Daniel amazed to hear this, it was new to him and now he didn't know what to think. What was his daughter experiencing right now, this very minute?

Nikki thinking, how was she going to explain this? Because it was so different from anything she'd ever experienced, making it hard to describe.

Daniel: "What are you feeling?"

Nikki told him, "It seems like my ability to focus has increased tenfold in the last twenty-four hours."

Daniel reflecting on that.

Nikki: "I have new kinds of thoughts and insights and ... I don't know, maybe there's memories I'm remembering for the first time. If that makes any sense. I have moments of crystal clarity, where I feel I _know_ things. And glimpses of things ... things I don't understand, but I don't think they're just a matter of coincidence. Like certain things that always appeared in my recurring dream, like about a lost daughter – whatever that might mean. And about the number thirty-six, and about past lives, and something that was never in any recurring dream but somehow involves Robin Hood."

"_Robin Hood_? What do you mean?"

Nikki shrugging her shoulders. "I can't explain it. Maybe it'll all make more sense when I'm fully ascended."

Daniel said, "Yes, but look, Nikki, it doesn't matter, the main thing I want to know is that you're O.K. You're _feeling_ alright, aren't you? That's all I want to know."

"I'm O.K., I promise you."

Daniel felt reassured, but there was something else he had to ask, no matter how unlikely that he'd get the answer he wanted to hear. He asked anyway, hesitantly, "No way I can change your mind about this?"

"No."

"What if I just try to talk you out of it, one more time? Can I at least try to ...?"

Nikki interrupted, "No, no use."

Daniel didn't feel bad; he'd known it was a long shot but just felt he had to try. He said, "Well, alright then. But you know, you never did say what it's really all about. I mean, I know you're helping the Others but beyond that I don't know any real details. Can you say anything about it?"

"No."

Daniel knew why. "That's O.K., I understand. _Non-interference _and all, right?"

"That's right. Sorry, Dad." There were things she wished she could tell her father but couldn't, because what she knew was told to her in confidence.

They both got quiet for a minute. Nikki was outdoors – she'd made her call from the grounds outside Sandrine's home, where she'd been walking, and just now she looked up and saw the sun setting. She was fully aware these were the last days she'd see a sunset as an ordinary human being ... a thought that used to make her sad but now wasn't having that effect – not since she'd embarked on this new life-changing process. And some of it was her own deliberate effort, because Sandrine had told her to avoid getting emotional, because _personal feelings_ _could pull you downward_, Sandrine said,_ and hinder the ascension process_.

But nevertheless, _emotional pull be damned_, she thought, because she just had to ask. "Dad?"

"What is it, Nikki?"

"How's Samantha?"

"She's doing O.K. She's focused on her research, doing her best to save the world. As usual."

"Did the _Yoda-speak _ever come back?"

"Once in a while it seems to resurface, when she's under stress, but for the most part it seems to have faded away."

"How about Jack O'Neill, and Teal'c?"

"They're doing just fine. You know Jack and Teal'c, nothing slows them down. They're doing good."

"How about you? How are _you_ doing?"

"I'm alright." Though actually, he'd been feeling quite _different_ himself, since he got back from Cimmeria. A feeling he couldn't quite identify, as if somehow _estranged from himself_, if that made any sense? Maybe it had to do with what Stefan was experiencing, too? He didn't know, but he didn't want to go into all that right now with Nikki. He just said, "I'm alright. Just a little tired after my trip with Stefan to Cimmeria, that's all. Just need a little rest."

"Good, I'm glad you're O.K. And, ummm ... Dad?"

"What it is it, Nikki?"

"Dad, will you say hello to Freddie for me? Tell him I hope he's O.K.?"

"Sure. Dear old Freddie. I'll tell him."

Nikki thinking of how much she'd miss Freddie, and all the others she'd be leaving behind, maybe forever. She said, "Please tell everyone I asked about them, won't you? I miss them all so much."

"I know you do, Nikki. I'll tell them you asked."

She said, "I'm not gonna see you for a while, I don't know for how long. But I love you Dad, and I'll always be with you in spirit."

"I love you too, Nikki. No matter what happens, I'm behind you a hundred percent."

Nikki knew he must be worried about her, and told him, "Don't worry about me, I'll be O.K."

"I'm sure you will, but I can't help it. You'll always be my baby girl, and ... that's just the way it is."

"I know, but just remember ... I'm tougher than you think." Then they said their goodbyes, and she was gone.

o - o - o - o - o

Sam, Jack, Teal'c and General Landry were back in Conference Room D, Sam discussing some of the results after examining the data from Daniel's device. She said, "Earth's magnetosheath continues to deteriorate, and I and many other scientists believe, more firmly than ever, that we're in the process of a geomagnetic polar reversal. However, that doesn't seem to be the case on Cimmeria – there's no data to support it. Nevertheless, there was something of interest about Cimmeria. We found a massive number of EMP's."

General Landry: "If I remember correctly, an _EMP_ is an electromagnetic pulse – a short burst of electromagnetic energy. Solar flares, for example, right, Dr. Carter?"

Sam: "Yes, that's a good example. You can describe an EMP mathematically by its frequency, or its shape, or its duration or amplitude. But EMP's can also be man-made."

General Landry jumped-in again, "Power line surges are man-made EMP's, isn't that right?"

"Yes, exactly right," Sam responded. "And so are nuclear explosions. But now, let's consider the fact that we haven't been able to identify a common cause for all the planets affected by the unusual phenomena_. _At least_, _no one single _natural_ _force_ operating on all the planets. 

Jack: "Which means?"

Sam: "I think we have to consider the possibility these phenomena are all _man-made_, or let's say, produced by intelligent beings."

Everyone reflected on that for a moment, and Teal'c wasn't the only one with a raised eyebrow.

Something occurred to Teal'c, and he said, "Dr. Carter, two of the planets we visited have something in common: visitors to their planets."

Sam nodded to Teal'c to continue.

Teal'c said, "O'Neill and Major Johnson told us about a new company and new managers on Edora. Visitors there hold the reputation for having special powers. And on K'Tau there are new settlers, occupying a new colony."

Sam: "You're absolutely right, Teal'c. I believe we're on the same wave length."

Jack: "Carter, you're saying it's not _something_ but _someone_ that's behind all this?"

Sam: "I think we have to consider that possibility."

General Landry: "But who? And for what purpose?"

Sam: **"**That's the million-dollar question, isn't it?"

o - o - o - o - o

Meanwhile, after his talk with Nikki, Daniel left the infirmary, walking rather unsteadily towards the sound of the voices coming from Conference Room D. Just inside the door he found the wall-mounted TV monitors. The others had moved further inside the large conference room and didn't notice Daniel at first. He heard Sam and Jack and the others talking ... something about_ EMP's_ ... but he got drawn-in to the news coverage showing the waters south of Florida, and he stood there watching.

Further inside the conference room, General Landry was asking, "Even if we can identify who's behind all this, and locate them, do you think something can be done to stop our polar reversal?"

Sam: "Possibly. I'm in contact with scientists who believe we can stop it and reverse it if we just knew the true cause – but it's now become a question of time. Because at this point, we have very little time left."

Jack: "How much time do you think we have?"

Sam: "If the magnetosheath continues weakening at the current rate, well, according to my calculations we may have seven days, maybe eight if we're lucky. To be safe, let's say seven days. Because once we pass the tipping point, it's unlikely we'll be able to do anything anyway."

Jack: "Oh for crying out loud. If people get wind of this, they'll be wanting to escape off-world via the Stargate by the thousands. As if things aren't already crazy enough!"

Outside, Daniel heard them talking about a "tipping point" and was about to go inside and join the others when a commercial came on the television screen in the corridor, usually tuned to the national news, but the commercial that came on was a cola company advertising a new bottled water which claimed to be drawn from _a source ... of_ _the purest spring water_. Immediately, Daniel felt something hit him like an electrical shock – or a bolt of lightning. Daniel knew nothing of a triggering mechanism or a download or a newly-ascended being named Shelley, all he knew was that shivers went down his spine and goosebumps appeared on his arms as he stood gazing transfixed at the television screen, which lit up with colors and sounds that so dazed him he couldn't move.

But just then, from inside the conference room, the others caught sight of him. Jack called, "Daniel."

Sam, too, called out, "Daniel?"

Daniel stood frozen, unable to look away as the screen filled with swirling, dreamlike images, which came alive as some internal mechanism in his mind began to unlock and open.

When Daniel still gave no indication he'd heard anyone, Jack yelled, "DANIEL!" But Daniel stood staring at the screen, not responding, Teal'c already moving towards him and telling them, "I'll go see." Jack now only a step behind Teal'c, as Teal'c reached him and asked, "Daniel Jackson, are you alright?"

Daniel still didn't respond. Jack got there and gave Daniel a shake, and then Daniel finally responded, asking while pointing at the screen, "Do you see that?"

Jack: "Do I see what?"

"What they're showing ... on the screen."

Jack: "It's a soda commercial. So what?"

Daniel's body now shaking all over. Jack said, "Teal'c, will you turn that damn thing off."

Teal'c turned it off, and Daniel collapsed in Jack's arms.

o - o - o - o - o

At the infirmary, Daniel eventually snapped out of it. He propped himself up on the bed next to Stefan, mumbling to himself about what he thought had set it off: something from the TV commercial about a _source of_ _the purest spring water_. Daniel mumbled the phrase to himself a couple of times, in ear-shot of Stefan, who now started mumbling himself, and, seconds later, everyone saw Stefan open his eyes ... and wake up!

Stefan opened his eyes, blinking, then asked, "Dr. Jackson ... where am I?"

It took about an hour for Stefan to get reoriented. Daniel, too, took some time to shake off whatever hit him outside Conference Room D, but then both men were up and about, determined to figure out what they'd experienced, and where they should go from here.


	18. Chapter 18

**18**

_Merlin's Shadow_, carefully searching the dim and convoluted corridors of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, felt some deep foreboding of what could go wrong. There was always an awareness of the dark side, but he wanted no part of that; he didn't want chaos or people dead or anything to regret later. He had a mission to carry out, needing a clear head and cool calculations to see it through.

Merlin's Shadow hung low to the ground, searching thoroughly. He'd made contact with a potential human target, but the connection was unstable and the target had slipped away. That human, and perhaps others, must be located again soon. Finding them would depend on detecting and "hearing" their thoughts by tuning in to _thought-waves_.

According to his system of reckoning, he had emerged into Earth year 2023, which meant thousands of years had passed without any awareness on his part. Not a problem, considering the circumstances. Nevertheless, if he'd had his preference, he would rather have been human or Lantean or at least have a physical body.

o - o - o - o - o

In his office, General Landry sat at his desk waiting for a call from the president. He picked up the television remote to check the latest stories and found some good news – the phenomena churning in the waters south of Florida had come to a standstill. But strange new phenomena arose constantly: Upwards of a hundred thousand people had disappeared in Australia, as if into thin air. In South Africa, a new apparition had been sighted, drawing massive crowds. In Israel, desperate violence broke out over plans to rebuild Jerusalem's ancient temple, and, perhaps the strangest new phenomenon of all: Groups of people in Russia, Ukraine, Japan and Mongolia were falling asleep and remaining unconscious, mystifying doctors and researchers as to the cause or cure.

General Landry pressed a button on his intercom and asked, "Corporal Miller, still no word from the president?"

"Still no word, sir."

The general turned his attention back to the news coverage. Channel 29 was covering an odd story: The heat in Buenos Aires had risen but was somehow mainly focused on a single narrow stretch of highway, such that the asphalt was actually _melting_, believe it or not, producing pure chaos in that particular zone. The coverage moved to the top of Mount Everest, where an enormous fire had been raging for the last twenty-four hours. General Landry thinking, What next? What in God's name next?!

He thought he heard a faint knock at his office door and said, "Come in." It might be the cleaning people, he thought, but when there was no response he called again, louder, "Come in!" Still no response. He got up, opened the door and looked down the hall. Nothing. But then from the corner of his eye he thought he saw ... _what the hell_?! Could he have imagined it? He thought he'd seen a pale or nearly transparent _skull_, attached to nothing! It had been barely visible, floating in air, before it vanished ... that is, if he'd really seen anything at all. But then, had he imagined the sound he'd heard seconds earlier, too?

Just then his phone buzzed – it was the president.

The president said, "I'll have some questions for you, General, but first a heads-up: I've called for a mobilization of all potential research personnel, drawn from every branch of the Armed Forces, and Department of Defense contractor companies, and from any other government departments with qualified research personnel, to be made available to work with teams of military engineers and government and private teams of scientists, all to brainstorm and examine every possible angle for our next move. I assume Dr. Samantha Carter is already in touch with a team there?"

General Landry: "That's right, Mr. President. She's with a team of eleven scientists who arrived here yesterday."

The president: "That's good, that's what I expected. Now, General Landry, has Dr. Carter or any of your other people there discussed their idea of what time frame we're dealing with here? I've heard varying accounts ... what've you heard?"

General Landry: "Well, Mr. President, just like you, I've heard varying accounts. But I could certainly get Dr. Carter in here to talk to you right now."

The president: "I'd appreciate that, General. I'll hold on here."

General Landry: "Very good, sir." He pressed an intercom button and said, "Dr. Carter, can you come to my office, please. I have the president on the line."

Sam came in and the president began by asking, "Dr. Carter, what particular phenomena are you monitoring and investigating?"

She told him, "Most of my group's time and resources are being spent on anti-gravity phenomena, which are no longer confined to Israel, as you know. The problem, Mr. President, is that anti-gravity phenomena haven't been evenly distributed throughout the world; they haven't been evenly-distributed within the many sub-regions in play. In a case with so few common denominators, it's just another complication."

The president: "I understand," giving Sam room to add more if she wanted.

Sam could've mentioned another complication too: the possibility that the phenomena were somehow caused by human or other intelligent beings. But they had no leads to follow in that direction, as of yet, so she decided to hold off on that subject.

Sam said, "Our group plans to ramp-up a larger, super-amplified version of the fractal nonlinear resonance detection device we've been experimenting with in the hope that with greater magnification we'll be capable of detecting patterns. If so, it could provide a framework for figuring this out."

The president: "That's fine. Dr. Carter. Look, I have a question to ask, and I may as well get right to the point. In terms of a time-frame for dealing with this phenomenon, Dr. Carter – how much time do we have?"

Sam thinking of how to answer, because there were a thousand variables to consider and ten to twenty primary scenarios that could play out. She asked, "Do you want the short answer, Mr. President, or an in-depth analysis?"

"The short answer, for now. I'll catch up with you on the in-depth analysis as soon as I get a chance."

"The short answer is, we most likely have seven to eight days before we reach the tipping point, and maybe three days after that before we face total collapse. But that three days won't matter once we reach the tipping point, so, to be safe, to be conservative, let's say seven days."

The president whistled softly, pondering that gloomy forecast. "Not much time, is it?"

"No sir, it's not much time."

General Landry asked, "Dr. Carter, I don't know if it makes a difference, but do you mean Day One starting from tomorrow?"

Sam: "No, General Landry, today's _Day One_."

The president said, "Alright, Dr. Carter. Thanks for your honesty. I'll have my people contact you as soon as possible to review some of the technical issues."

o - o - o - o - o

Daniel and Stefan wanted answers, and soon. An hour ago they'd come to sit in front of the wall-mounted television screens outside Conference Room D, where Daniel first heard the phrase on the TV commercial that set things off. Their experience on Cimmeria had been mystifying, but since their return things were only getting worse; both men felt a pressure building inside themselves, as if seeking release or their attention ... but what it was they couldn't fathom.

Stefan: "I can't get a grip on it."

Daniel: "I know. There has to be a connection with that phrase ... _the source of the purest spring water_, but what _is_ the connection? Something's been set in motion on hearing that phrase but it's stopped short of moving to a further stage."

Stefan: "If there's a message we're supposed to get, why doesn't it reveal itself?"

They couldn't understand it, any more than they understood what happened on Cimmeria, or the strange experience in the car on Jericho Road coming back from the airport, or the apparition-hologram they'd seen.

Daniel: "I keep thinking of Merlin and that apparition-hologram we saw at Fatima."

Stefan: "Me too." Stefan felt the need to make an admission, and told Daniel, "'An apparition without a message,' I kept saying, but now I'm not quite the skeptic I was."

Daniel: "Yes, well, we're certain of one thing, aren't we? Hearing that phrase on that television commercial triggered something. And now I'm wondering about Teal'c."

Stefan: "Why? What _about_ Teal'c?"

Daniel: "Teal'c wasn't with us on Cimmeria, but he was with us on the Jericho Road, and Fatima."

Stefan: "You think he's experiencing the same thing we are?"

"Not that I've noticed. But if he hasn't been exposed to that triggering phrase ..." as Daniel hesitated, thinking, then said, "I'm going for coffee, and while I'm out I'll talk to Teal'c."

Daniel got coffee then found Teal'c and ran the phrase past him, but it had no effect. Probably, Daniel thought, because Teal'c hadn't been on Cimmeria with them, but Daniel also asked about the Jericho Road – whether Teal'c ever felt any different since that day.

Teal'c said, "Daniel Jackson, on the Jericho Road there was a sound that seemed to greatly affect everyone. I never knew its source, but somehow I knew I must fight to block that sound. I did so and thereby maintained control over my actions." Teal'c paused, then added, "Perhaps, Daniel Jackson, what you experi

enced involves a different phenomenon?"

Daniel: "Yes, you're probably right, Teal'c. Thanks."

Daniel left him and rejoined Stefan outside Conference Room D, where they dragged in a couch and tried their best to get comfortable, flipping through television channels and hoping the commercial would play again.

o - o - o - o - o

Unaware the two human targets were now outside Conference Room D, Merlin's Shadow continued searching the Cheyenne Mountain Complex corridors, casting wide nets for detectable _thought-waves_. He heard the thoughts of the human known as _General Landry_, who planned to talk to a non-human known as _Teal'c_ and have him "Investigate these new apparition sightings" and have him "Follow the loose ends, that seem to have become dead ends."

Merlin's Shadow also heard the thoughts of a human on this floor known as _General Jack O'Neill_, contemplating how an organization known as _Global Forces_ was ordering him to travel to the Middle East to investigate the movements of someone known as _the General of the South_, who was active and dangerous again – though O'Neill also exhibited considerable concern for his housekeeper, _Graciella_, especially in reference to his dog,_ Blue_.

His search continued until finally ... there! outside Conference Room D, sitting in front of a plasma screen, the two human targets whose thought-form waves were associated with implanted cues matching the designated triggering mechanism. Merlin's Shadow could see the implanted cues as clearly_ as the purest spring water_. Now to draw them in and complete his mission, as directed by his creator, Merlin.

o - o - o - o - o

Daniel had just rejoined Stefan in front of the television when it suddenly appeared out of nowhere – the ghostly, nearly transparent skull hovering in front of them, staring straight at them, flickering momentarily before it moved toward the television and then disappeared ... into the screen! Astonished, their eyes followed the skull ... but moments later they felt riveted to their seats, somehow invisibly bound and unable to move. As if hypnotized, they watched what seemed to be a television transmission, as an image of a young man appeared on the television screen, and began speaking:

"I am Moros of Lantea, also known as Myrddin or Merlin, reaching out to you out of desperation, from fear of a future disaster, and the fact that my experimental interactive hologram has contacted you implies that your planet is already in grave danger. For that purpose you were placed in a temporary, semi-hypnotic state under the control of a holographic entity I call _Program Seventeen_. With life-changing dangers emerging, I intend to provide the deep background which will hopefully shed light on their origins. Therefore, let me begin.

"After the time of the events I shall describe, I ascended, and after the passing of many generations, have now again taken human form ... to continue my work. But my story begins after leaving the planet Lantea, after our war with the Wraith had reached an impasse.

"We arrived on Earth and found that humans were still very primitive, and by that I mean truly _primitive_: there was no farming, no inkling of agriculture. There were no towns – humans were still nothing but roaming bands of hunter-gatherers. No writing, nothing that we think of as civilization. They hadn't yet invented the wheel.

"Our response to this situation was far from unified, as three distinct groups emerged. Most Lanteans, including the Leadership, soon decided to leave and find another planet, so as not to interfere with human development. This was in keeping with the prevailing Lantean attitude that primitive peoples should develop civilization on their own at their own pace, without interference from advanced races.

"My own group decided not to leave but to seek ascension, and most of my group eventually did so, though I lingered for a time, struggling with concern about the Ori, ending-up as one of the last to ascend. In the meantime another group had also emerged. It was the smallest group, with only thirty-six members, and this group included Namor-Ma and Mokha-Em, Nin-Gal and Triokesh, Kalinda and Tappan and Sunitra and Jagadish and others. Their group wanted to stay on Earth, disputing with the Leadership over the issue of staying to help humans, bucking tradition with the unorthodox idea, by Lantean standards, that they could help the primitive human species survive and prosper without having their good intentions backfire and produce unintended consequences. Unfortunately, their quarrel with the Leadership escalated when someone in their group took a ZPM without the Leadership's permission. Violence resulted, tragic events occurred, people died. But more important is what happened _before_ all that transpired, and here the story gets even more complicated.

"In this period, before I ascended and before things went bad between Namor's group and the Leadership, the members of their group had been exploring the planet in converted jumpers, observing, planning, getting ready to make their move, getting ready to proclaim they would stay. Namor and his hotshot-pilot girlfriend, Mokha, were cruising the planet and it was while flying over the area where Stonehenge was later found, that they first experienced it. For Mokha, it started with a tingling sensation in her fingers. Then the fingers in her right hand went numb ... and disappeared. Next her whole arm went numb and invisible, and then the other arm went invisible. No feeling there either, like they were gone, and her state of mind darkening because this was a difficult situation when you were piloting a modified jumper at eight hundred miles per hour. She looked back at Namor for help, but saw that both his legs were gone. Or at least, they were invisible, because the actual status of their missing limbs was unknown. The important thing was, Namor later told her, he couldn't help because he couldn't feel anything and he couldn't move.

"How long did it last? It felt longer but it was actually just twenty-two to twenty-five seconds at most, before they normalized on exiting the area. Then they felt a wave of relief, though their eyes were swollen and remained so for days afterwards. I later told them they must have gone _out of phase_.

"Others in their group experienced similarly strange events while flying over apparent _hot spots_ on this planet, such as the areas later known as Angkor Wat**,** Teotihuacan, Gobekli Tepe and Baalbek. For example, Nin-Gal saw twin versions of Jagadish, as if he'd somehow split in two, and Jagadish saw Nin-Gal splinter into at least ten different versions of herself. Again, as with Namor and Mokha, afterwards their eyes were swollen and remained so for several days.

"Later, comparing notes among themselves, they found something else: The times of their travel forecast logs didn't match the elapsed times of their jumpers' time-recording equipment, which was extremely accurate, down to hundredths of a second. The difference ranged from about twenty-one seconds to twenty-seven seconds. What did these gaps imply? Had they, indeed, vanished from Earth's space-time, into another dimension?

"I was almost certain they'd gone out of phase, and Namor and most of the others soon agreed, but why? Searching the computer records from their converted jumpers, we found the answer: They'd all been in reverse-gravity mode at the time of their experience. Now, that mode uses a very low level of anti-gravity force, just enough to power their cloaking screens, which were in use because, even at this early stage, the group members were already wary of the Leadership's reactions. But what we suspected was this: Jumpers in reverse-gravity mode produce just enough friction to produce a 'skid' on contact with pockets of etheric energy ... though perhaps it is no pocket but rather an entire etheric grid? Yes, quite possibly.

"Because, though not all planets have substantial quantities of etheric energy, those that do often have enough to supply an entire grid, which surrounds the planet and usually includes a series of vortex points, which are inter-dimensional links, like portals.

"We came to believe etheric energy forms a bridge from the physical to the ascended plane of existence, and Namor and I decided we must map Earth's planetary etheric grid, to understand its potential."

Daniel and Stefan could see and hear but couldn't move a muscle. Merlin appeared so youthful, Daniel thought, as to be barely recognizable; here was the master-scientist- mystic-magician as a young man, vibrant and full of life. Daniel saw an unfamiliar series of symbols behind Merlin, forming a backdrop on a florescent screen. Were they scientific, or, as primitive people on Earth would perceive them, ancient magical symbols? But now Daniel's thoughts were interrupted; he and Stefan saw Merlin's image flicker and saw him look away and say, "Wait ... wait just a moment." Seconds later Merlin's image vanished ... replaced by a skull, the same ghostly skull they'd seen before. Astonished and perplexed, Stefan later told Daniel he believed the skull wore "a malevolent grin." Daniel replied, "_Malevolent_? The way I see it, _any_ grin on a floating, bodiless skull is a little disturbing."

Merlin returned and told them, "You must forgive the interruption. You see, the first in our latest generation of holograms is still experimental. He is brilliant, independent and in fact is no mere hologram but is a fully conscious holographic astral projection. Nevertheless, the more intelligent and independent, well, the more eccentric, too.

"Now then, where was I? Oh yes, we set to work mapping Earth's etheric energy grid. Most important, we wanted to know the vortex points, which we verified were indeed inter-dimensional links, like portals.

"We began with the geographical points where the crews experienced the phenomena, aware that, because the total aggregate of etheric energy differs by planet, each planet has its own grid shape. Plotting these geographical points using latitudinal and longitudinal harmonic analysis and unified vector geometry, a pattern eventually emerged: Earth's grid was a triacontahedron with thirty diamond-shaped faces, revealing fifteen great circles, one hundred twenty scalene right-triangles and thirty-two vortex points.

"Some questions were not resolved. For example, we were puzzled when our analysis detected unusually high quantities of rare neutrinos, together with dense etheric energy fields, at all the vortex points. What could that imply?

"My motivation in this research was my plan to construct a weapon I deemed the _Sangraal_, intended to destroy the Ori. I believed our research might provide just the key piece of information I lacked to produce such a weapon. However, I began to realize that Namor's motivations involved something else – a new and growing interest in etheric energy as an artificial means to ascension, as well as new modes of ascension.

"Yes, Lanteans had experimented with ascension machines, but this was potentially much more dangerous. His ideas were untested: what if drawing etheric energy from Earth's planetary grid produced a loss of stability, or some other adverse reaction? Namor paid no heed to my words of caution, he seemed obsessed with his plans for new modes and means of ascension.

"I wanted no part in that. It worried me."

Again Daniel and Stefan saw Merlin speak to someone on his right, as the image seemed to lose focus and Merlin appeared distracted; Merlin then reappeared, as his image regained focus and he resumed speaking:

"There is more to tell, concerning the Ori and threats to your world, but perhaps you already have questions? The physical immobility required for this transmission, facilitated by the semi-hypnotic effect of a plasma screen, shall now be slightly relaxed, as Program Seventeen goes solo and responds in an interactive mode. Go ahead, ask your questions."

Daniel and Stefan felt their muscles relax; they finally felt free to move if they wanted to – and they could talk. Merlin had thrown open the floor to them and now Daniel spoke up:

"O.K., uhhh, _Program Seventeen_. Our planet is facing some pretty desperate, no, _cataclysmic_ conditions right now, this very minute! Look, Program Seventeen, do you have any information that could tell us the cause, or better yet, could tell us the solution?"

They heard spitting-sputtering-hissing sounds from Program Seventeen, the floating skull now in Merlin's place on the screen, and then heard him respond: "You address me as _Program Seventeen_ but I consider that disrespectful; despite what you have been told, my proper name is _Merlin's Shadow_. Store this information in your operating systems because I shall not respond otherwise. In fact, I think it best that I take time now to perform routine maintenance and minor recalibrations. I shall return and resume my transmission in exactly ... thirty-three minutes."

Daniel and Stefan went out into the corridor, where Daniel wryly told Stefan, "Merlin's transmission shut down when I called it _Program Seventeen_. Our planet is facing impending doom and the information we need is controlled by a temperamental hologram."

Stefan, looking back nervously, "Are we out of earshot? I hope he didn't hear that."

Daniel: "Uh, good point."


	19. Chapter 19

**19**

WHILE DANIEL AND STEFAN waited for the _Program Seventeen_ hologram to resume Merlin's transmission ... General Landry, in his office, picked-up a newspaper and scanned the front page, then threw it down again in disgust. One story reported swarms of locusts blackening the skies in Egypt, another reported about a number of children in Greece who recently died in their sleep, without explanation. So many strange, mysterious stories, like the one yesterday reporting packs of wolves outside L.A. and Las Vegas, their numbers greater every day. General Landry found himself wondering, were they getting ready for the kill?

The newspapers and the television coverage were full of dark news and desperation, the same as his Daily Log. He'd been in communication with military commanders and political leaders who were dealing with gas rationing, electric power rationing, food rationing, accompanied by hoarding, price gouging, power failures, rolling blackouts, long lines to get gas and long lines to get basic groceries, mindless violence and looting. The constant, churning turmoil filled churches with a fervor born of fear.

Landry glanced at another news headline: "WORLD ENDING SOON? How To Get Off-World While There's Still Time."

The article discussed the possibilities of a lottery to go off-world. Yes, both Landry and the president were besieged by calls asking about going off-world through the Stargate, the possible destinations, the living conditions, questions about who would be eligible, the financial cost, and so on. Much of this arose from plans made by unscrupulous men looking for personal profit.

General Landry shook his head in dismay. This issue was just another headache, but he'd already begun making plans to accommodate an exodus through the Stargate, if that's what the president decided to do. Hmmm, maybe use Teal'c as a coordinator?

o - o - o - o - o

_In the ascended realm, a group of the Others spoke to their Council, asking for a one-time exception to the rules, requesting an intervention on behalf of Planet Earth and all its inhabitants to save the planet. _

_A response from the Council came quickly: request denied._

o - o - o - o - o

1:55 PM. For the first time, Maghav Rek'iel's partner, Maghav Mar'tan, entertained doubts about how much further he could go. Never before had he questioned the authority of Maghav Rek'iel, never before had he questioned Rek'iel's methods. The world situation seemed dire, and yet ... he couldn't bring himself to directly oppose his beloved comrade. They had been together too long, they shared the same goals. Conflicted or not, Mar'tan couldn't bring himself to oppose the greatest leader he had ever known – Maghav Rek'iel.

o - o - o - o - o

2:25 PM. On the island of Cyprus, Nikki walked on the grounds of Sandrine's home, trying to clear her mind but wrapped in thoughts about Maghav Rek'iel. At one point she noticed that Sandrine kept a car and a BMW motorcycle inside a covered patio on one side of the house. Hmmm, she mused to herself; though the motorcycle's engine was turned-off, the keys were there in the ignition. What she'd like to do: Just take the bike and go, leave all her cares and worries behind. But a lot of people were depending on her ... as her thoughts returned to Maghav Rek'iel and the dark world situation. She came inside.

Sandrine made tea, they talked about many things. Sandrine talked of technical matters regarding the ascension process, telling Nikki, "Ascension requires an alignment of your etheric, astral, mental and causal bodies. It requires an acceleration of consciousness and a change in vibrational frequency."

There were other such esoteric subjects too, but Nikki's attention was elsewhere, circling around questions she couldn't dismiss. She said, "Sandrine, if I understand it correctly, Maghav Rek'iel's goal is to create more ascended beings so his followers can vote against the Others and overturn the rules. And he wants to overturn the rules because he believes in helping humans ... isn't that right?"

Sandrine hesitated because the issue was complicated. She started to answer but Nikki interrupted, asking. "Maybe he's going about it wrong, but in his own way he's trying to further the cause of humanity, isn't he?" Giving Sandrine a firm, hard look. "I mean, his intentions are good, aren't they?"

Sandrine answered, "It may seem that way, but there's more to it."

Nikki: "Well go ahead, explain it."

Sandrine: "I don't deny he believes that he's right, but he refuses to see the truth, that he's overstepping his role, that he's causing more harm than good. Because he's a headstrong rogue who believes what he _wants_ to be true actually _is _true. He believes he's always right – and the rest of the world can go to hell if they won't go along with him."

Nikki understood what Sandrine was saying; what most people _wanted_ to be true was what they took to be _the actual truth_. Most people weren't very objective about their beliefs.

Sandrine continued, "Besides, his methods are all wrong. He's attracted as many followers as possible by mixing an ascended state with a physical body. People want that, it's attractive because they can keep their loved ones and keep a foothold in the earthly lives they're used to, and still gain the advantage of super powers. But such a hybrid, quasi-ascended state isn't good."

Nikki: "Why?"

Sandrine: "Because humans are needy creatures, and the idea of creating beings with special powers, who retain most of their human desires and faults ... is a recipe for disaster. It's not a good fit. In fact, I can't think of anything worse. Their human fallibility survives, but now it's united with super-human powers."

Sandrine paused, then continued, "To be ascended-in-the-flesh may actually be the worst of all possible worlds."

Nikki understood, but wasn't quite ready to let it go. She asked, "But what about my point, that his _intentions_ are good?"

Sandrine: "Yes, I'll grant you that. His _intentions_ are good, at least on some level. But there's more to it. Actually, there's much more."

Nikki listening intently, wanting to know everything she could. All of this had become so _personal_ to her... now that her full ascension was coming up so soon.

Sandrine spoke slowly, "Do you know who Merlin was?"

Nikki: "I know what my father wrote in his book. That Merlin was one of the Ancients who left Lantea to return to Earth, a long time ago."

Sandrine: "And the apparitions ... in Lourdes and Fatima ..."

Nikki nodding, "Yes? What about them?"

Sandrine: "As far as we can piece it all together**,** those apparitions were actually holograms designed by Merlin, thousands of years ago. This is speculation, but it's likely they were intended to warn us about the Ori, if they ever came here. I say that because that seems to have been Merlin's main concern."

Nikki was thinking back about something and said, "Speaking of the holograms ... my father told me about something he experienced, something he and Stefan and Teal'c encountered on the road from the Tel Aviv airport back to Jerusalem. They called it _Red Fog_ – do you know anything about that?"

Sandrine: "It's possible the Red Fog phenomenon was a _super-hologram_, where multiple holograms combined to form a new kind of phenomena ... but their purpose was probably the same, to warn people about the Ori. Or to warn people about _something_."

Sandrine paused and collected her thoughts, then continued. "But I'm getting a little off the point, because the real story here is that, if what I believe is true, then the apparition-hologram seen in Lourdes and Fatima was a case where the Maghavs took control of Merlin's hologram and _reprogrammed_ it for their own purposes."

Nikki's jaw almost dropped. "And ... what _are_ their purposes?"

Sandrine: "To convince people that these are the End Times, the end of the world, and if they want to survive they should become his converts and followers. Pure manipulation."

Nikki shaking her head, telling Sandrine, "I see what you mean. It's incredible."

"And Nikki, there's another angle too, something else you should know. Maghav Rek'iel's intention is to maintain his control, no matter what. His artificial method allows him to control the degree of ascension in each of his followers. Let's just assume, for the sake of understanding this, that he and Mar'tan are at a ascension plane level which is a few degrees below a hundred percent. Well, you can be sure that none of his followers ever reach that same level. Maghav Rek'iel calculates the process such that none of his followers reach his level, you see? He knows how to maintain control and that's an important concern to him, always."

Nikki quiet, pondering Sandrine's words, astounded at what she was hearing.

Sandrine continued, "It's all possible because of the artificial ascension process Rek'iel developed, which allows him to control the ascension level of ascension of his converts. You see, he's expecting their loyalty, and counting on it, but in case things ever go wrong, he'll still have power over them."

Nikki: "Sounds like he's incredibly manipulative."

Sandrine: "Yes, and maybe something of an egomaniac."

Nikki: "Yeah, maybe so. Anyway, I see it now, he has to be stopped." She understood better now why she had to ascend and what had to be done. She still had questions though. "Sandrine, what about Maghav Mar'tan? Do you think he follows Rek'iel blindly? Is he a full and willing partner in all of this, or what?"

Sandrine: "Little is known about Mar'tan, except that he apparently has been with Rek'iel for a very long time. His loyalty seems absolute – though we've had nothing in the way of a good way to test that – no case where _push came to shove_ and we could truly see Mar'tan on his own."

Nikki: "O.K. But here's one last question: all these things, about Rek'iel's intentions and his methods and about taking control of Merlin's apparition-holograms ... how do you know all this?"

Sandrine: "I hear things, _through the grapevine_, as they say. Mostly from a certain friend ... in fact, she's the same one who's in charge of your training."

Nikki: "I thought that was you ... isn't it?"

Sandrine: "No, it's not me. She is a friend, and an emissary, of Oma Desala."

o - o - o - o - o

A little later Nikki found herself walking on the grounds outside, wanting to be alone, to think. She didn't feel sadness, nor anger, certainly, but merely a lingering wistfulness about leaving this world behind and all the people she knew and cared about.

The sun was setting, which was her favorite time of day. It was beautiful, she ought to be serene, but gloomy thoughts drifted in. She managed to coax them away, trying to be more confident that a silver lining would conquer the gloom.

She looked up at the sky where the sun had set. Tonight was special, because tomorrow was the day she'd fully ascend. She was searching deep within herself, trying to find the strength to follow it through. She remembered Ron, her old bookstore-owner friend when she was growing up, and how he'd once told her, "I think the universe has some important role planned for you, Nikki. Some bit of immortality."

Nikki walked closer to the house, and saw the bike in the shed – Sandrine's BMW motorcycle. The keys were in the bike ... she knew because she'd noticed it before. Nikki thinking, what she really wanted right now was _speed_. Immortality be damned, she thought, because after tomorrow then there'd be no more driving fast ever again, as far as she knew.

She went into the shed, got on the bike, pulled out her sunglasses and got the bike started. A medium-sized bike, not designed for power or speed but it would do, and so she rode off, off Sandrine's property and down the road that was mostly deserted out this way, a road that followed the coast along the cliffs, with the ocean down below.

She sped up, getting it up to 70, 80, 85 mph. Thinking, there better not be no squirrels crossing the road, 'cause at this speed it wouldn't take much to upset this apple cart. She got it up to 90, 100, 110, no helmet on either, wondering, is the fate of the world really supposed to be on my shoulders? Thinking, oh well, I guess if the universe wants me alive to do something, it'll keep me alive.

She kept it at 110 for a while, cruising, feeling the wind hit her face, feeling good, enjoying the speed because there was hardly anything she ever loved more than driving at that kind of speed. She kept it going awhile, cruising at about 110 mph – then finally eased it down and turned around. By the time she got back, she felt a whole lot better.

o - o - o - o - o

Next morning, several visitors from the ascended realm, including Saron, Lejeune, B'urr, and Lilavale, paid a visit to Sandrine's home.

At 9:45 AM Cyprus time, Nikki ascended.

Early in the afternoon a formal challenge was made by the Others on Nikki's behalf. The official record showed that Nicole Jackson now challenged Maghav Rek'iel, who must also stand as representative for all his associates. They would meet the next day on Jericho Road, at the Celestial Diner in a Game of Destiny.


	20. Chapter 20

**20**

**MEANWHILE ...** Daniel and Stefan again stood in front of the television screen outside Conference Room D, took seats on the sofa they'd dragged in and Daniel spoke the phrase, _the source of the purest spring water_. Daniel and Stefan felt the same physical immobilization they'd felt before. Merlin appeared on screen, and the transmission resumed.

Merlin told them, "I have detected a problem with my experimental hologram. Therefore, in case of an interruption in the transmission, I shall abbreviate this communication as much as possible.

"Now then, where were we? Yes, at that time I'd been working with Namor, Mokha, Sunitra, Jagadish and the others in their group to analyze their experience with the etheric energy fields. If you remember, their group was interested in helping the human primitives, struggling with the Leadership over the issue, whereas I, like the others in my group, wanted to ascend. But my motives for ascension were different.

"You see, I lacked certain information to complete my plan to construct the ultimate anti-Ori weapon, which I called the Sangraal. Like a Zero Point Module, the device would transfer energy, but in this case the energy would be channeled into the Ori's dimension, or sub-plane, neutralizing the Ori by interference, as two standing waves cancel each other out of existence."

"A form of dark energy would be sent into their sub-plane. However, though there are many ascended planes and sub-planes, on which plane are the Ori? That is the most important piece of information I lacked: where, exactly, to send the energy to destroy the Ori? Incorrect information might not only destroy the Ori, but also prove disastrous for the Others. I needed more information.

"The only sure way to know would be to ascend and verify for myself. I had to ascend. Still, there was a sticking point: Once ascended, it might be thousands of years before I could return. It wasn't known whether one can always return at will, there may be certain expectations to be met, certain rules. Therefore, I conceived my present plan:

"Despite the most important rule, essentially a prime directive of non-interference with all those outside the ascended realm, I intend to break that rule. I intend to slip the information to some trusted member of the group of thirty-six. I hope my actions will go undetected, but, if detected I am prepared to suffer the consequences.

"I knew their group planned to set up their headquarters in Africa. They agreed that the information would be stored in written form or kept in some fashion which can then be passed down to trusted individuals. They promised to keep the information I would provide secret, and safe. And yet, before ascending I lingered, working on an experimental hologram system designed to activate and warn Earth's people if the Ori or a related global threat emerged on this planet before I could return. I only wish my confidence in the experimental system were higher; it may have flaws.

"I intend to ascend soon. But now I shall give you the coordinates of their group's headquarters, where information can be found to help if the global threat that I think is possible, has indeed arrived. As a safeguard, the coordinate information will be a highly encrypted format."

Daniel and Stefan saw a long and complex series of numbers, letters, words and symbols, which remained on screen long enough for them to copy down. It took some time. Then the transmission ended. The men felt their muscles relax, now fully released from their physical immobilization.

Daniel and Stefan left the area, pondering Merlin's words and considering what direction to take.

Daniel said, "Let's re-trace what we know: At some point Merlin ascended, already planning to return, possibly thousands of years later, to build a Sangraal weapon. The transmission we've just seen is from Merlin's early days here on Earth, _before_ he ever ascended. The weapon he envisioned in those early days may have been different than what he actually devised later, we don't know, and it's not clear what implication that might ..."

Stefan interrupted, "Perhaps the first implication we should consider, Dr. Jackson, is that this may all be a waste of time. I mean, as we all know – as you yourself described in your book – the Ori threat is over. They were obliterated, right?"

Daniel: "Right. As far as we know."

Stefan: "_As far as we know?_ You think they're here, now? You think everything we've been dealing with, this whole global crisis, is connected to the Ori?"

Daniel: "I admit it's unlikely. But Stefan, there are things we know and things we don't know. This is unexplored territory and, despite having once been ascended, I know virtually nothing of the Ori's ascended realm terrain."

Daniel paused, thinking, then continued, "Look, what interests me now is the possibility that any device of Merlin's might have multiple uses. And consider this: Merlin's hologram was designed to activate if a threat from the Ori ... or _a related global threat_ _emerged_. Those are Merlin's words. Who knows, perhaps we're facing _a related _global threat? Following up on this could lead us to a weapon, or information, or ... _something_."

Stefan was aware that breaking this code would take a lot of work, and they might not have much time. He was quiet, doing some mental calculations, then he said, "I suppose at this point there's not much we could add to Dr. Carter's efforts, whereas, following this avenue just might ... well, who can say?" He paused, then said, "Alright, Dr. Jackson, I'm on board. Count me in."

**o - o - o - o - o **

**JERICHO ROAD.** While Daniel and Stefan began the hard work of interpreting the information transmitted by Merlin's hologram, Nikki arrived at the Celestial Diner where she met a contingent of the Others. They welcomed her in. It was mid-morning, everyone else was already inside.

The Others ushered Nikki inside to the meeting room at the back of the diner, where spectators who'd come to watch the Game of Destiny recognized their new, now fully-ascended member, welcoming Nikki with quiet applause. Their spirits were high, they had high hopes for a positive outcome.

When Nikki and Rek'iel saw each other, they felt the familiar tingling sensation that linked them in past incarnations. The tingling was a sign of unconscious recognition, but they both ignored it – too much was at stake to pay attention to that now.

The Records Keeper rose and announced, "Everything appears in order ... we shall now convene this _Ludus Libati_ '_Game of Destiny_.' In accordance with the traditions and the rules of our ascended realm, I hereby call forth the Akashic Record."

As the Keeper set the Game in motion, Rek'iel and Nikki appeared to fall asleep, though actually they were awake on another, transcendent plane. The akashic wheel of time spun 'round and 'round as centuries and millennia passed, landscapes from the past flashing by ... finally coming to a stop at Earth-year 3139 BC.

The location was Egypt, then ruled by the Goa'uld, RA foremost among them. Onlookers in the celestial diner heard the words and read the thoughts of the people there at that time, ordinary Egyptians, and likewise read the thoughts of Eagan and Nadarius and Akosilee, members of a mysterious tribe that ordinary Egyptians called "the Tribe of Thirty-six."

Observers in the diner saw Akosilee in conversation with an old Egyptian farmer. Akosilee had introduced himself as a trader traveling from Damascus, and asked the farmer, "What satisfaction do Egyptians feel in their everyday lives?"

The old farmer answered, "Life is hard. We survive, nothing more."

Akosilee gazed deep into the man's eyes, trying to fathom the depths of his suffering. The farmer said, "In Egypt, the demands of the Gods hang like a heavy yoke upon us. The people are weary and walk with eyes cast down."

As a cover, Akosilee told the farmer he was a traveler from another land, a trader in search of new trade routes and trading partners. Akosilee asked, "You say the people are weary of the Gods and their demands, and yet ... you feel you must obey?"

The old farmer answered, "Yes, because the Gods have told us, and so it has been written: WE THE GODS HAVE CREATED YOU TO HONOR US AND SERVE US. THOU SHALT NOT DISOBEY OUR LAWS NOR NEGLECT YOUR OBLIGATIONS, LEST YOU FEEL OUR WRATH UPON YOU."

Akosilee knew that the Egyptians were a profoundly religious people, and thus it was in their nature to obey. But he also saw there was no love in their hearts for the Gods.

The farmer continued, "It is not for us, mere mortals, to question the ways of the Gods, or their commands. But many among us believe in the Deliverers, who are members of the Tribe of Thirty-Six. That is my belief, too, and thus we keep on, we never give up, for surely the Deliverers are coming."

Akosilee had heard the rumors, he knew that popular stories, legends and myths had taken root in the minds of the people, about this group known as the _Tribe of Thirty-Six_, or the _Deliverers_, who would come to save them and release the people from their bondage. Someone always knew someone who knew someone who'd had contact with one of the Deliverers, whose identities were secret. Akosilee knew these rumors of a secret group had persisted for five hundred years or a thousand years, maybe longer.

Akosilee asked, "Do people believe these Tribe members have supernatural powers?"

The old farmer told him, "Some believe that. Others believe the Deliverers possess no secret powers but are ordinary people, like us, but will nevertheless prevail by virtue of their superior knowledge and foresight and courage." He paused, then added, "Some say they are invisible."

Akosilee asked, "What about you? What do you believe?"

The farmer answered, "I believe they are masters of disguise."

o - o - o - o - o

Akosilee's plan: When the time was right, which would be soon, he would come disguised as a Jaffa. He knew the schedule of the Jaffa guards at the Stargate. It would all be a matter of timing, but he believed he could do it. Getting back would be harder, but again, if he timed it right and could join other Jaffa as the Gate activated, he could again get through undetected.

If he failed, well, he had heard reports of horrific measures of torture meted out to Egyptians for even the most menial acts of disobedience. Nevertheless, he was convinced he could get past the Goa'uld and their Jaffa and get through the Stargate. It was essential that he do so, he felt, because, if he could obtain the technology he needed off-world, and retrieve it and get back successfully, he would finally have the means to help the enslaved Egyptian people. He was convinced it was worth the risk.

o - o - o - o - o

For the observers watching in the Celestial Diner, the scene dissolved as a new scene arose. Observers now saw riders on horseback in Egypt on the west bank of the Nile. They were old friends and comrades of Akosilee.

Riding as fast as she could, Eagan yelled back at Nardarius, "Come on, you gotta keep up!"

Eagan remembered the desert sand-storm that barreled down on them yesterday – but today they had bigger problems. The two were racing full speed on horseback over the southern Egyptian desert, chased by a group of Jaffa also on horseback. Eagan leading in front, Nardarius struggling to keep up, Nardarius aware he wasn't the horseman she was – but then, no one was. She was a better horseman than anyone else he knew, and better, too, with bow and arrow than anyone he'd ever known.

Noticing a change in the sparse vegetation and trails branching in several directions, Eagan chose one to the east, slowing down and leading them up into higher country, through a brushy landscape into the mountains, through winding canyons and remote trails, trying to find the safety of a friend and ally's cave dwelling. Their friend was expecting them. Scanning the cliffs, looking, looking, all the rocks the same, no difference in the rock-faces unless you were looking hard and knew what to look for.

They'd put some distance between themselves and the Jaffa but couldn't stop to rest, both of them feeling the strain of the long ride but pushing on, Eagan checking that her crossbow was still there under her cloak, until eventually they caught sight of the cave and left the dusty trail: There it was, a cave dwelling almost indistinguishable from the hillside from which it had been dug.

Taking no chances they took their horses in with them, Eagan calling out, "Hello!" but getting no answer. "No one's here."

They found a message tacked to a wall: "Will return soon. Make yourselves welcome."

The owner of the cave dwelling, like Eagan and Nardarius, was a member of the so-called_ Tribe of Thirty-Six_. The Tribe's shadowy existence was no tall-tale or folklore myth, though the group members lived their lives "under-cover," keeping as low a profile as possible, changing their names, disappearing into the populace as unknowns, trying to remain as invisible as possible. Nardarius and Eagan's immediate goal: to make their way northward to the Stargate in Giza. The _Tribe's_ ultimate goal: to free the Egyptian people from the oppression of the Gods, who were no gods at all, of course, but were the cruel, contemptible Goa'uld.

Eagan scanned the walls of the large but sparsely furnished cave dwelling, drew out her crossbow and put it on a table. She said, "If we could just get through the Stargate."

Nardarius: "Easier said than done. Akosilee tried and failed and, as far as I am concerned, that ought to be the end of it."

Eagan: "You can't blame Akosilee for trying. The Egyptian people would get behind us if we could show them we possess real power.**"**

Their comrade had been caught by the Goa'uld and was tortured horribly before his death. She said, "At least he tried."

Nardarius: "He put himself in harm's way once too often."

Nardarius had no real interest in the Stargate, preferring to spark the Egyptians towards an uprising with other methods. If it were up to him, he'd be back at their headquarters now, working on a workable plan. Trying to reach the Stargate and get through was Eagan's idea, but she'd told him she intended "to scout things out" with or without him and he didn't want her going alone.

Eagan: "I haven't given up trying to get help."

Nardarius: "I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Asgard won't make an exception. No matter how just the cause, the _prime directive_ still rules and they'd make no exception, no more than the Nox."

Eagan: "Maybe you're right, but there's one who would help."

"Who?"

"Oma Desala."

Nardarius thinking that over. "Aye, prime directive or not, she's the only one who might." Tribe members tended to hold Oma in such high esteem she might well have been a saint. "Aye, she might. However, to contact her puts us back where we started, because to reach Kheb to contact her leaves the little matter of getting through the Stargate."

Eagan only too aware of that. Aware too that most of the rest of their group also considered getting through the Stargate to be a long-shot, but she felt she had to take that chance. She said, "We ought not to waste our lives."

Nardarius: "We do what we can. We work with what we have."

Eagan: "Not good enough. We can get to the Stargate and through. I'm sure of it."

Nardarius was doubtful. "How?"

Eagan: "I'm not sure yet, but I _know_ we can."

Nardarius knew what drove her to get through the Stargate – she wanted to avenge Akosilee's death. When Akosilee failed in an attempt to get through the Stargate and was captured by the Goa'uld, the torture went on for weeks, and could have gone on for months, who knows? Eagan had to "take him out" with a shot from her rather futuristic-looking crossbow, a mercy killing, and Nardarius knew the memory still tore at her. He said, "You _have_ to let it go. "

She hesitated, then said, "I'm still finding it hard to live with killing one of our own."

"I know, but what choice did we have? You had to do it – no one else could. Anyway, he'll be back. According to my _calculus,_ Akosilee will return to us within a period of fifty-five to sixty-one years."

Eagan rolled her eyes. "You and your _calculus_. You can't count on that. It's all purely theoretical."

The subject of a _calculus_ and the possibility of Akosilee's return was a complicated matter: Every member of _the Tribe_ of Thirty-Six had at least one Lantean gene. Their group members numbered thirty-six. These thirty-six were the same group who came to Earth from Lantea thousands of years ago, then went off on their own after fleeing the Leadership's wrath over a missing ZPM. Eagan was Mokha, now reborn in another life-time; Nardarius was Namor, Akosilee was Jagadish, and so on, each generally using their Egyptian names out of caution. But how were they alive at all?

They believed it had something to do with Professor Zinn.

The reason was this: Most Lanteans looked towards ascension; the group of thirty-six had even gone through experimental training together as children on Lantea with Professor Zinn, a teacher who specialized in providing the best possible background to reach ascension, someday, if they chose to make that choice.

However, now that these thirty-six found themselves reborn into new lifetimes, and not just once but multiple times – they had come to believe Professor Zinn's training had something to do with it. Perhaps he had used them in some sort of experiment, of which they were unaware? Perhaps some form of subliminal conditioning had been used and become part of them? Whatever his intention, maybe something went wrong? They didn't know. Regardless, perhaps the most unique thing in all of this now, was that they _remembered_ their past lives.

Eagan-Mokha continued, "You always talk of conditions and timelines for return, but actually there's no guarantee that Akosilee or _any of us_ will come back again." She paused, thinking, then said, "Maybe we shall have nineteen lives, and that is all, or maybe only seventeen, meaning this current seventeenth is our last and final lifetime, and then this is it! How would we know?"

Mokha paused, waiting for an answer and asking again, "There's no way to know, is there?"

Nardarius-Namor pondering that, but before he could respond they heard the sound of riders on horseback outside ... was it the Jaffa? Mokha peered through a small opening in the reed mats covering a window, then whispered, "It's the Jaffa, but they're not stopping." Still watching, "No, they're riding on."

They breathed a sigh of relief, finally relaxing, until soon afterwards came the sound of another rider and a rustling outside, but this time Mokha looked, then called out, "It's Sunitra!"

Mokha ran outside to their friend and ally and hugged her, breathless and telling her old friend, "Dear Sunitra, I've missed you so much!"

Sunitra: "Yes, but quick, let's get inside."

Inside, she hugged and greeted Namor and told them, "I'm so glad you're here. But I'm afraid they're closing in."

They all knew it. They tried to keep the feeling at bay, the feeling that eyes were watching them everywhere they went, the feeling it might just be a question of time. But there were strategies and planning to discuss, as they sat down and tried to relax themselves a bit and focus.

Sunitra: "I've been waiting to hear what news you can tell. What of the rumors of open acts of rebellion in Edfu? Is it true?"

Mokha: "The rumors were true, Sunitra, but the leaders were caught and the rebellions quashed. Furthermore, we believe Edfu has been an isolated case."

Sunitra asked, "Have you received any word from Minussa and Aaratrika? Are they still in Kom Ombo? Are they safe?"

Mokha: "They are still in Kom Ombo, still safe as far as we know."

Sunitra: "And Divakar and Triokesh?"

Mokha: "Still on look-out at the quartz mines in Dendera."

Sunitra: "And Nin-Gal?"

Namor: "After what happened trying to infiltrate RA's circle, she was lucky to escape, and sought refuge in our mountain retreat. She is safe ... she will stay there for now."

Sunitra fell quiet. This wasn't quite the news she was hoping to hear. She said, "I miss Akosilee. I mean, Jagadish."

Mokha: "Yes, we all do." Mokha felt the loss of Akosilee-Jagadish keenly. Maybe it had to be done, but she still wished she didn't have to be the one _to_ _take him out _when he'd been captured by RA, and tortured.

They all fell silent, remembering their comrade.

Namor said, "Yes, I miss him too." But he couldn't hold back, telling them, "I still feel Jagadish risked too much."

Sunitra: "He only took chances because we so badly need tools, and weapons. Think of it, to have a seismic detonator, or a ZPM! It would make such a difference!"

Mokha nodded in agreement.

Namor: "Yes, I know, but there are other ways."

Mokha changed the subject.** "**I still believe our ZPM is somewhere at the bottom of Lake Tanganika."

Weapons from centuries past didn't last, or disappeared, and they had no way to manufacture the kind of weapons and tools they'd possessed as Lanteans.

All three fell quiet, pondering their chances for long-term success in ousting the Goa'uld. Lacking weapons of power, they must somehow set fires of revolt all over Egypt, by organizing and getting the people of Edfu and Dendera and Abdju and Saqqara to join together, farmers and tradespeople, countryside and cities, all together in a true uprising. But they'd been trying to do that for a long time, and so far, well ...

Mokha asked, "Tell us, Sunitra, how bad have conditions become here, in these southern regions?"

Sunitra: "The people languish between despair and terror. Like everywhere else in Egypt, the Goa'uld here seize workers to construct landing platforms for their Ha'tek vessels. _Thousands_ have been enslaved from this area alone, to work on their building projects, and that is bad enough, but the Goa'uld ignore the workers' need for food and rest, they push them relentlessly, past the limit of human endurance. A lot of people here are starving, scavenging for food, surviving on bare subsistence – if they're lucky."

Sunitra stopped, reflecting on the dire situation, then continued, "People feel powerless. They see things constantly deteriorate, but they also know any hint of rebellion will be met with overwhelming force, and torture. But that is not the worst. The worst is the _absolute terror_ when the Jaffa come under cover of darkness and round them up, selecting those who shall be taken, not to RA's building projects in Giza but to travel through the Stargate, to Abydos, or Dakara, or wherever else they take them."

Mokha: "Yes, mainly to Abydos or Dakara, as far as we know."

Sunitra: "The Egyptians live in terror, knowing they will probably never return home. Most who leave are never heard from again, that is why those selected don't always go quietly – they struggle, they have to be dragged away kicking and screaming."

They got quiet, but were startled when they heard a sound far in the distance, which sounded like an explosion, the kind that came from Ha'tek vessels firing a shot at some target on land. It was the kind of thing the Jaffa did almost randomly, just to scare the populace, and it worked.

Sunitra showed them a valued possession she'd obtained, a weapons box, containing a spear, a stone mace, two bronze axes and two _kopesh_ sickle swords. They fell to talking about the land areas controlled by the Goa'uld.

Namor: "Though RA maintains control over the whole of Egypt, his primary focus remains on Giza in the north, site of the Stargate and the location of his pyramid-shaped landing platforms for Ha'tek vessels. RA trusts Hathor with his interests in Dendera and throughout central Egypt. In fact, I believe he trusts her more than any other Goa'uld."

Mokha: "Sekhmet is another of RA's trusted favorites. Some call her _RA's_ _enforcer_."

Sunitra: "Sekhmet is cruel, more brutal than any of them when she tortures an enemy."

Mokha: "She is cruel, but I believe Sokar and Marduc are a match for Sekhmet when torturing enemies. All three are equally brutal."

Namor: "Agreed. Among the Goa'uld we have seen here, Sekhmet, Sokar and Marduk comprise a trinity of evil." He paused, reflecting on the essential nature of a Goa'uld. He said, "Each one has their own identity, and, let's say, their own style, but all are driven by dark impulses."

Mokha: "Yes, and RA is no less evil, but his strength is knowing how to keep the other Goa'uld divided, while he positions his own people in vulnerable areas, watching for signs of disloyalty from the other Goa'uld."

Namor and Sunitra nodded in agreement.

Mokha: "RA knows their jealousy and competitive nature can be pitted against themselves, to his own advantage.

Namor: "True. RA is a reasonably good strategist."

They discussed Hathor's dominant presence in the lands east of the Nile, as a counterpoint to Anubis' presence in the lands to the west. All the Goa'uld had their own interests and their own agendas – and these were permitted by RA, as long as they did not threaten his own interests.

Namor said, "Another clever move by RA was to give certain Egyptians a measure of freedom and privilege, making them _nobles_ with slaves of their own so they feel some loyalty to him. These are the ones who operate a spy network on RA's behalf, so he's not solely dependent on the Jaffa. He has them watching Egyptians and other Goa'uld – _and_ _the Jaffa_."

Sunitra: "So clever, and so cruel. RA and all Goa'uld are evil, worse than the Wraith. They disgust me."

Mokha: "They are vile, loathsome, hateful creatures."

Namor: "They are parasites."

Sunitra: "A cross between viruses and reptiles."

Sunitra asked Mokha, "Who is your most hated Goa'uld?"

Mokha: "That would be Sekhmet." Thinking it over. "Yes, either RA or Sekhmet."

Sunitra turning to Namor: "And _your_ most hated?"

Namor: "Sokar. Or Marduc. But then, perhaps I should say Anubis? Because Anubis is darkness incarnate. Yes, but then, there is something about Moloc ..."

Sunitra interrupted, "For me it is Bynaar. He may be nothing but a cruel underling loyal to Sokar, but he scares me. And, I'll say it outright ... he has an _odor_. It's disgusting. I passed close to him one time not long ago and that's what I remember most, a lingering odor that follows him wherever he goes."

They all laughed, but then Mokha gave her a look. "_Not long ago_? When was that? Not in _this_ _lifetime_, was it?"

Sunitra realized her mistake. "Oh, that's right, I'm mixing it up." Feeling silly. "Do you ever mix-up people and events from one lifetime with those of another?"

Sunitra's _discrepancy_ seemed to upset Namor. He said, "It _shouldn't_ happen! If only you would _focus_ and stay ..." as he hesitated, as if thinking better of what he was about to say. His demeanor changed, he shrugged his shoulders and reassured her, "Oh well, of course, Sunitra, it happens. I believe we all do it, at one time or another."

_What? Sunitra thought, that's quite a change in tone for Namor. Wondering how genuine his words were ... as she and Mokha exchanged a look. In the past, they'd heard Namor's disapproving, harsh criticism, telling them such mistakes were the result of being unfocused and undisciplined. But more recently, Namor's demeanor changed, as if he were consciously courting their favor. And she knew why: He wanted to keep their support for him as group leader, an issue important to Namor, especially because, of late, he'd clearly been losing their support. Yes, they all recognized Namor's genius, but Sunitra and some of the others in their group had begun questioning his sincerity and no longer trusted him. Mokha had refused to listen to Sunitra's suspicions ... but that was changing._

Sunitra let it go, for now. The three talked of another strange phenomena: Some of their lifetimes passed without any memory of their other past lives. In such cases, there was not even a flicker of awareness of who they'd been, nor the slightest recognition of others of their group. They thought of these anomalies as "gaps."

Sunitra: "During my fourth lifetime, and again in my tenth, I had no inkling of my Lantean origins. No inkling of anything."

These lives were forever lost to memory, only known by reconstructing what others knew, pieced together by what other group members could tell.

Mokha said, "In my case, it was my sixth and twelfth lifetimes that passed, completely unknown to me. I knew nothing of my past, nothing of who I really was. I still remember nothing of Lantea or of what happened with the Leadership and the ZPM they wanted. And I would know nothing of them still except for what you and Namor and a few others were able to tell me."

Even Namor admitted, "None of us have remembered all our lives."

They discussed something else they'd heard too, that whether a lifetime be remembered or not, all the actions and thoughts were recorded nonetheless, in something known as the "Akashic Record."

They had no way to verify such a thing, but talked a little more that night, speculating and trying to sort it out. Before sleepiness set in they talked about plans for their big day tomorrow: Next morning Sunitra would take Namor and Mokha to the banks of the Nile, where they'd continue their journey northwards to Giza, where the Stargate was located.

o - o - o - o - o

In the celestial diner observers saw the scene dissolve, but this was only a brief interruption. The Game would soon resume.


	21. Chapter 21

**21**

Daniel and Stefan had been struggling to crack Merlin's encrypted series of numbers, letters, symbols and words, which should provide coordinates to geographical locations where information had been passed on to Mokha and Namor's group.

Daniel was one of the world's best code-breakers, but getting a handle on this one was going to be tough. Locations implied coordinates of latitude and longitude but there was a lot more to it because of the way Merlin designed the encryption.

They searched and sifted through hundreds of types of maps and coordinate systems, wracking their brains, pondering and searching through thousands of formulations of potential coordinates that might derive from Merlin's encrypted series.

They found what looked like a reference to Mt. Cameroon in West Cameroon: coordinates: 04 degrees, 13' 00" N, 9 degrees, 10' 21" E. They found what might be a reference to Mt. Nyiragongo in the Congo: coordinates: 01 degree, 31' 19" S, 29 degrees, 14' 58" E.

It was tough going, they worked non-stop but found progress hard to come by. Stefan said, "You know what I think, as to why Merlin wanted the coordinates so highly encrypted? Because he didn't trust his own hologram. Because he wanted to safeguard the coordinates from Program 17."

Daniel: "Good point. You're probably right."

They worked for hours on end, Stefan at one point dozing off, and Daniel too, Daniel dozing and drifting into a dream. In the dream-scene floating through his mind, Merlin told Daniel he'd arranged a meeting with Robin Hood. Then Daniel and Stefan were riding on horses to a meeting place in Sherwood Forest, where they met Robin himself, dressed in green with his bow and arrow and his band of merry men. Robin stood counting them to make sure they were all there, and sure enough thirty-five plus Robin made thirty-six. One of his men said, "Robin, I think we may have found something." They got on their horses and Robin told them, "Don't let me down, men, let's find them this time." They were on a quest to find lost children. Again they were riding on horses ... and then Daniel woke up.

Daniel got up and took a coffee break, then got back to work. Hours passed, they kept on, fully focused. They found what might be a reference to Mt. Ol Doinyo Lengal in Tanzania: coordinates: 02 degrees, 45' 52" S, 35 degrees, 54' 58" E.

Daniel ran it by Stefan: "Could these all have been active volcanoes, at some point in history?"

Stefan: "We could try a triangulating process using a series of historically active volcanoes in Africa."

The results produced what they thought was a reference to Mt. Kilimanjaro, also in Tanzania: Coordinates: 03 degrees, 04' 33" S, 37 degrees, 21' 12" E. They ran the codes over and over again and kept coming up with the same thing: Mt. Kilimanjaro. As to exactly where on the mountain – that was another problem.

Daniel knew someone, a fellow anthropologist and former collogue by the name of Bill Muchler, who'd been dabbling in a new geologic-topographic mapping system. Muchler told Daniel, "My geologic-topographic coordinate translator can join multiple translator programs together and factor-in GPS readings, which should accelerate our attempts exponentially. It's a lot like internet hacking, except that it's specifically designed for translating encrypted geologic-topographic codes."

This was their best chance to narrow down the possible locations for the actual entrance on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Muchler took Daniel's information and scanned it in. He said, "I've had a pretty good success rate when I've used this so far, but don't get your hopes up _too_ much. When it's done, we'll still need to make some educated guesses."

Daniel: "I just hope the translation we gave you is correct."

Muchler: "Yes, what comes out depends on what went in."

Muchler worked for a while then told them, "Now, we'll try to fine-tune our results by putting the coordinate measurements over a pictorial grid of Mt. Kilimanjaro, producing a visual _zoom-in_ on selected portions of the mountain."

When Muchler finished his work he handed the results over to Daniel. The three of them felt they'd narrowed it down as best they could, and it wasn't long before Daniel and Stefan made plans to leave for Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

**o - o - o - o - o**

**INSIDE THE CELESTIAL DINER**, THE GAME OF HAD RESUMED. Observers saw a new scene unfold: Early the next morning, Sunitra took her friends to a boat on the banks of the Nile River; it was a sleek, specially provisioned riverboat disguised as an ordinary fishing boat. Sunitra began delivering a talk she'd planned for them, about how they "should be extra, extra cautious," until she was interrupted by an ominous sound from above: two Goa'uld Ha'tak battleships floated through the air, north-bound, towards Giza. They stood there looking up, trying to get a good look ... but the Ha'tak ships soon drifted away. Sunitra finished giving her advice, they said their goodbyes, and Namor and Mokha pushed off.

In Southern Egypt the Nile flows through a narrow river valley with steep cliffs rising on either side. They were starting north of the Aswan cataracts, avoiding the waterfalls, but still struggling with harsh rapids until they reached smoother waters around Kom Ombo. They watched Maadi and Ghawazee and Falyum tribe members on shore in the distance quarrying for limestone and sandstone, and a number of the Omari using mud to make sun-dried bricks, and Merimde, Badarian and Meshwesh tribesmen working as slaves, toiling under the blazing desert sun, mining titanium and zirconium for the Goa'uld.

Just past Edfu they got soaked weathering a brief seasonal storm, but what disturbed Mokha was an ominous mood and the feeling she was being watched. Were there spies on shore? She asked, "Do you think there's spies on shore?"

"Probably," Namor said.

As they floated further downstream they saw what might be the same group of Jaffa who'd chased them on horseback yesterday, now watering their horses at river's edge. The Jaffa took no heed of the fishing boat, which allowed Mokha and Namor to get a better look at them, unlike yesterday when they'd been too far away to see. Mokha asked, "You think they're the same ones that chased us?"

Namor taking a long look, "Yes, I think they are."

Mokha accepted that, but intuition told her _something_ _was off_, though she couldn't pin it down. Was it just her imagination? Because it wasn't just about the Jaffa – she'd begun to question her feelings about Namor. She'd begun to question his whole approach to their _mission_.

_Unknown to them, more than five hundred Jaffa were positioned on the Nile's west side, spread out over an area two miles wide, and another five hundred Jaffa on the Nile's east side, spread out in the same way. Both groups were on the move, trying to cover as much ground as possible in a search for rebels and rabble-rousing leaders, because rumors of secret Deliverers had also caught the attention of the Goa'uld. Besides mobilizing the Jaffa, RA had begun a pro-active series of security measures, including a network of Egyptian spies numbering in the hundreds, spread throughout the countryside._

Mokha and Namor lost sight of the Jaffa who'd been watering their horses and time passed. Further down-river, in the area around Esna, they saw clouds of gas, seemingly super-saturated with ionized particles which reflected prismatic colors in the sky, and a building which, from their experience, they took to be a genetic engineering plant for Goa'uld experimentation.

More time and miles drifted by. They were just approaching western Thebes, where the cliffs jut out prominently close to the river, when Mokha cried out, "Look!" Pointing up, half-way up a mountainside, "Namor, look there!"

The stark scene was a double crucifixion. Two men hung bloody and dying on crosses, suffering under the hot sun until their inevitable deaths. The originators of crucifixion were not the ancient Romans but the Goa'uld, whose only originality came in forms of torture.

When she saw the men up there Mokha recoiled in shock and horror: The cruel image struck a deep chord within her, symbolizing all the evils of the Goa'uld. Then it struck her that Namor showed no reaction whatsoever. "Why don't you get angry?" Mokha raising her voice, "Doesn't it bother you?"

Namor answered, "You should know by now I make an effort to stay calm. It's part of my discipline. Besides, it's not the first time we've seen it."

"It's the first time ... _in this lifetime_!"

"There's no difference, is there?"

"Yes, there is! Namor, your preoccupation with your theories have you losing touch with yourself, to the point where you don't _feel_ anything anymore."

Namor said, "That's not true. But I'll say something I've never said before, that emotions matter very little. Because I'm coming to believe these human physical bodies are essentially useless."

"Useless?" Trying to calm down but it wasn't easy. "I'm starting to think all you care about is yourself and your theories – and by the way, that's all it is, just pure theory."

He answered, "What I'm working on is bigger than me. Bigger than all of us."

"Bigger than the Egyptian people?"

Namor didn't answer and they got quiet, then Namor asked, "Doesn't it matter that I'm committed to you, Mokha? My commitment to you even transcends time, literally. How can you question how I feel?"

Mokha hesitated, answering slowly, "I know. Maybe I'm over-reacting, maybe you're right." But she didn't sound convinced. She knew what he'd said was true, and yet ...

o - o - o - o - o

They dropped the subject and let it go, the miles and time passing as they drifted through Middle Egypt, the area controlled by Hathor, and towards Dendera, where the Temple of Hathor was located. With Dashur and Abdju and Saqqara still far to the north, Mokha was much absorbed in her own thoughts, as Namor was in his.

With Mokha navigating, Namor sat astern in the boat as they drifted downstream, shielding his eyes from the sun. He knew Mokha was quite capable of handling the boat and took full advantage of that as he turned a complicated equation over and over in his head. Over time, he'd pondered and theorized and analyzed and accumulated evidence regarding how the process of their multiple lifetimes worked. He'd developed and listed factors and equations and options and possibilities, attempting to reduce random chance to the minimum. To Namor, the _calculus_ was in no way theoretical; he was quite close, surely, to a full understanding of its deep structures and was getting closer and closer to a concrete grasp of the underlying dynamics.

Essentially, his calculus was the first step in learning how to predict, and eventually control, their future incarnations. In fact, his ultimate objective was to learn how to _create_ the physical vehicle, in preparation for the next lifetime. Could it really be possible? He firmly believed it could, though it required that one die in the prime of life, when strength and intellect were capable of being completely focused on that single objective. That, in turn, required the strategy which all the others in their group found objectionable, the strategy he called _tactical suicide_.

Nothing raised more concerns among the other group members than this last issue, and it was important to him to keep control of their group. The best way to do that, he believed, was to keep Mokha on his side.

There were other issues too, like his new concept of an ascended-in-the-flesh form of ascension, and whether he could design an artificial means for using etheric energy as a power source. It might be dangerous, and yes, there might be many casualties along the way, but he intended to do whatever had to be done.

o - o - o - o - o

Onlookers in the celestial diner saw the scene dissolve, temporarily erasing everything so nothing could be seen or heard. Such occasional breaks were caused by tiny gaps in the akashic records, and had no real effect on the Game. Onlookers used the time like intermissions, going out into the front of the diner to relax and "stretch their legs."

o - o - o - o - o

Back at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Daniel and Stefan were hustling through the lower level corridors en route to General Landry's office. They passed Jack O'Neill, recently reunited with Major Johnson, going the other way, but Jack didn't have time to stop: He called back to them, "We're leaving for Tel Aviv in fifteen minutes." Daniel knew they were working closely with _Global Forces_, dealing with a deadly situation brought on by the General of the South in the Middle East.

Next they ran into a team of scientists, apparently lost, who said they were looking for Dr. Samantha Carter. Figuring Carter was likely with General Landry, Daniel told them, "Follow us."

Along the way they passed through the Gateroom, where they found Teal'c coordinating an operation to prepare high-level personnel who were deemed "essential" – to go off-world through the Stargate to "Safe-Haven Planets," until the crisis was resolved.

When they got to Landry's office they found Sam, the General and everyone else there watching the latest news on a television screen: power outages and rolling blackouts were in effect in an area from Boston to Philadelphia to NYC to Washington. Sam came to greet the scientific team, as Daniel and Stefan went to talk to General Landry.

Daniel and Stefan explained, as best they could, their potential lead to find relevant information in Tanzania. The General had little time to give them his attention – everyone had their hands full but no one more so than Landry, but he gave Daniel and Stefan his blessing to leave and his authorization to use a military jet, though they'd have to wait until tomorrow to leave. They were mindful of the delay; according to Sam's Doomsday Calendar, they only had a few days left before Planet Earth reached the tipping point.

**o - o - o - o – o**

**Meanwhile,** for observers in the celestial diner, it was still five thousand years ago in Egypt. They saw and heard Namor and Mokha on the Nile River, and they could read their thoughts:

Mokha liked steering and navigating the boat, it soothed her while she wrestled with troubling thoughts that came from deep inside her. Something seemed wrong with Namor. Everything was escalating. It seemed to start several lifetimes ago, when there'd been accusations against Namor of putting people into a mesmerizing trance, of hypnotizing them against their will. With Namor, everything was about _control_. Other things too, became more and more alien to her, for example his fascination with something he called _tactical suicide_. And she wasn't the only one in their group who felt that way; not a single one of them were on board with Namor on this issue. With Namor now seemingly obsessed with these theoretical concerns, the question was, had he already gone too far?

o - o - o - o - o

Past Abdju, Namor saw crocodiles in the river, snapping at something, and some on shore too. He pointed them out to Mokha, who nodded back at him, and not much later, down river, they saw hieroglyphics on the hillside rocks above, on the east side of the Nile. And then, further on, they saw what looked like bunkers and various kinds of military fortifications.

Namor found himself thinking: if only he could change Mokha's mind and get her to see why he was right. Because he knew very well how much the others valued her judgement. Yes, her influence with the others could make a big difference.

But now he must deal with this long-shot attempt at the Stargate in Giza. This was all her idea. But he couldn't let her go alone, he couldn't live with himself if things went bad and he'd deserted her. And besides ... how would it look, to the rest of their group?

o - o - o - o - o

Mokha saw the crocodiles, and the hieroglyphics on the hillside and the military fortifications off-shore, but her thoughts were still on Namor, who had long been the group's leader, though lately, things were changing. Because his interests were different from hers and the rest of their group. Because Namor's theoretical investigations hadn't actually _produced_ anything of benefit, while the rest of their group identified deeply with the Egyptian people, who had pressing concerns _right_ _now_, right here in this lifetime, as their suffering grew heavier and heavier.

Mokha was coming to a conclusion about Namor: the fact was, his goals were at odds with her own, and Sunitra's, and pretty much all of the others.

o - o - o - o - o

Days passed as they traveled on the Nile, the Nile River was the equivalent of an ancient highway. Nights were spent with other members of their group, who lived in these northern lands and could give them food and shelter and comfort and support.

After Abdju, where the valley rises into high stone outcrops, they'd gone onwards toward Dashur, then on to Saqqara and finally up and on to the desert plateau of Giza. It was twilight when they finally ended their river travel and took to the land, on the east side of the river, where another of their group, Tappan, met them and provided horses and supplies.

o - o - o - o - o

FRESH RUMORS REACHED THE EARS OF RA, of plots and plans of rebellion and the so-called _Tribe of Thirty-Six_. RA recalled Sekhmet and Sokar and other Goa'uld to his temple complex adjoining the sphinx structure, informing them of the rumors and telling them: "I believe the rumors are true, which say a mysterious Egyptian tribe is behind these plots of rebellion. I want you to be on watch and look for anything suspicious, anything out of place. If any signs of rebellion are found we must stop it now, before momentum builds."

He took Sekhmet aside and told her, "I want you in charge of this operation. You should begin with a careful search of this temple complex, at least twice every day, and make careful searches of everyone going through the Stargate."

RA always had a close rapport with Sekhmet; he said, "We must work together, I will accept no internal conflicts among the Goa'uld while we work to stop potential rebellions."

RA knew Goa'uld such as Sekhmet and Sokar had little interest in proving themselves loyal to him. No, but he knew they liked the prospect of finding intruders and imposters they could interrogate and torture.

o - o - o - o - o

After Namor and Mokha left the River Nile, their friend Tappan met them with horses, which made them more conspicuous but was unavoidable. There was little time to waste: according to their calculations, a solar eclipse would darken the skies in three days. They hoped the solar eclipse would provide just enough distraction to make their plan work.

Mokha and Namor planned to disguise themselves as Egyptian peasant farmers who had been selected by the Goa'uld and their Jaffa, destined to travel through the Stargate to become new Jaffa or enslaved workers.

In those days, as Mokha and Namor knew, there were very few rebel Jaffa. In fact, almost none. But if they made it to Abydos or Dakara, they intended to begin the process of talking to Jaffa about their relationship with the Goa'uld, about their belief in the Goa'uld as gods. The Jaffa might not openly rebel, but might secretly change their attitudes. They had to try. And regardless, they hoped to get tools and weapons to bring back to Egypt.

o - o - o - o - o

Two days passed. When Tappan, a master of disguise, finished his work, Namor and Mokha considered themselves indistinguishable from other Egyptian peasants. With the eclipse approaching, they left for the Stargate.

At RA's temple complex, they verified the arrival and location of the captive Egyptian peasants who were to go through the Stargate; Mokha and Namor managed to get inside, and successfully mingled with groups of captive Egyptians. So far, so good. But they soon realized their plan had two primary flaws: first, the eclipse they'd predicted and counted on had not yet arrived – their calculations must have been off. Second, contrary to Mokha and Namor's advance scouting reports and expectations, the Goa'uld and Jaffa seemed to be carefully scrutinizing everyone going through the Stargate, as if on the alert for something, and sometimes even using hands-on inspections. Mokha and Namor found themselves thinking ... something didn't feel right.

They saw that their whole group would have to pass Sekhmet and Sokar on their way to the Stargate. All the Goa'uld were watching carefully, visually examining everyone. As Mokha and Namor passed by Sekhmet, she said, "Show your hands." When they hesitated, she repeated her command firmly, "Show me your hands." They held out their hands for inspection and Sekhmet said, "These are not the hands of hard-working peasant farmers." She took her time checking their hands and examining their faces, analyzing them, "No, neither of you are peasants. Why are you here?"

Mokha had to say something. She said, "We were selected. It was not our choice."

Sekhmet: "I believe you were not chosen at all. You came here on your own. The only question is why?"

Namor said, "We believe we were chosen by accident. That we are here at all is a mistake."

Sekhmet: "You lie. Who sent you? Who are you working for?"

They were at a loss for words; what would satisfy Sekhmet?

Sekhmet: "Are there others with you? Are you members of the so-called_ Tribe of Thirty-Six_?"

Mokha said, "No. No one sent us."

Sekhmet directed her gaze at Namor, who said, "We know nothing of such things."

Sekhmet: "These responses are not acceptable. We shall inspect the entire group again, and find others if they are here. You must answer my questions. Now, why are you here?"

Namor and Mokha repeated their claim that they had no choice in being here, but Sekhmet said, "Your answers are unsatisfactory."

The questioning continued, but Sekhmet remained unsatisfied and finally said, "Enough!" She turned to walk away while calling out, "Jaffa! Isolate them. Take them each to _a_ _chamber of pain_."

o - o - o - o - o

Mokha tried to fight it, the dizziness and the feeling the room was spinning. She and Namor had been separated and thrown into small holding cells inside larger interrogation chambers, and now Mokha saw three Goa'uld enter her chamber: Sekhmet, Moloc and the hulking dark presence of Sobek. She had a pretty good idea that inside Namor's chamber, Marduk, Sokar, Bynaar and maybe others would do everything they could to bring him down.

Trapped, nowhere to go. Mokha closed her eyes, trying to block another sensation, as if the walls were closing in around her. She'd known this claustrophobic feeling once before ... in another lifetime. She tried to bolster herself now like she did then, telling herself, _keep your courage!_

She saw Sekhmet take charge, ordering the Jaffa to remove her from her cell and strap her into a chair. Sekhmet asked, "Why did you want to go to Abydos? Or was Dakara your destination? What was your plan?"

Mokha: "It was all a mistake. I was selected by mistake."

Sekhmet: "Liar! Listen to me, girl. Your only chance is to tell what you know. Are there others working with you? Are you a member of what Egyptians call the_ Tribe of Thirty-Six_?"

Mokha: "I assure you, I know nothing of such things."

Sekhmet: "We shall see if your story changes, as your pain increases. Yes, we shall see."

Sekhmet revealed a Kara kesh hand device, placed it close to Mokha's forehead and sent a pulse of energy stinging through her victim, the energy visible through Mokha's eyes and mouth. Sekhmet pulled the hand device away, then applied it again. Mokha felt the pain, intense and getting worse each second, feeling about to pass out when Sekhmet stopped, pulling the device away just in time. Mokha began to recover ... then Sekhmet applied the device again, and again, and again.

Standing behind Sekhmet, Moloc and Sobek eagerly awaited their turn to do Mokha some harm.

o - o - o - o - o

Namor, too, was being questioned and tortured. Sokar positioned his Kara kesh hand device inches from Namor's forehead as the destructive energy coursed through Namor, then placed it directly on his forehead to increase the pain. Sokar stopped, pulling the device away just in time, allowing Namor to recover his senses.

Sokar said, "This is your chance. You should take it."

Namor: "I am not with the Tribe you speak of. I cannot give information I do not possess."

Sokar: "So you say, but I do not believe you." He applied his hand device to Namor's forehead again and again, each time stopping just before Namor passed out. Then Sokar motioned to Marduk and Bynaar to come forward and join in, giving way first to Marduk who used his own Kara kesh, Marduk enjoying his role until Bynaar eagerly stepped up, using a modified, reduced energy zat'nik'tel which in short bursts wouldn't knock a victim unconscious.

Bynaar soon gave way to Sokar, and then Marduk and Bynaar again, one after the other ripping Namor with one blast after another, trying to grind Namor down, each taking turns applying their devices with ferocious abandon and seeming to accelerate, racing faster and faster, the Goa'uld in a frenzy as if competing with each other to see who could dish out the most pain – until finally Namor was blasted so severely he fell unconscious. He had no way to know that, at that same time, Mokha had also been blasted into unconsciousness.

o - o - o o - o

With both Namor and Mokha unconscious, another Goa'uld entered Namor's chamber: It was Thanos, who had been working to develop a new form of naquadah which he called _naquadria_.

Thanos told Sokar, "I have consulted with RA, and he has agreed to proceed differently. First, these imposters shall be told of a reward for cooperating," explaining to Sekhmet what he meant. "And second, each of them is to understand they are responsible for the other's well-being, and therefore, the panel between the chambers shall be opened, so that each will be in full view of what the other must endure. They will be forced to see, knowing they hold each other's fate in their own hands."

Thanos signaled to open the sliding panel in the wall, so each prisoner could see the other in the next cell, and gave Sokar another instruction: "We shall alternate the use of our Kara kesh hand devices and zat'nik'tels with physical torture – the more primitive the better. This combination is designed to amplify our traditional devices and produce an increasing pressure, without significant let-up."

Thanos was a master of the scientific application of effective torture techniques, using the most ruthless methods to tear down all resistance. Thanos added, "I want you to slow down, and pace yourselves. We must save some bones to break later, in days and weeks to come." Thanos told him firmly, "Most important: No one dies until we get the information we want. Understood?"

o - o - o - o - o

Mokha, slowly reviving after the first round of punishment, heard Sekhmet say, "In return for information, you will be given the reward of your choice: a quick, painless death for you and your partner, or a life in chains doing menial labor as slaves for RA, where at least you have your lives. Harsh though these choices be, at least I have told you the truth, and either one brings escape from this unending punishment – which I promise you will otherwise never stop."

Mokha said nothing, considering Sekhmet's offers and claims to be pointless, because Mokha had no intention of giving her even a shred of information.

Sekhmet told her, "You have nothing to lose. Otherwise, you may be here for years, always wishing you could die."

Finally Mokha said, "I have no information you want, so what can I tell?"

Sekhmet throwing up her hands in disgust, "As you wish, girl, as you wish."

Sekhmet intended to keep to the Kara kesh and leave the labor of physical turture to the others; she raised her arm and directed the energy from her Kara kesh at her victim; Mokha felt the energy pulse through her brain like a thousand sharp needles, invading her consciousness and bursting into flame. The pain was excruciating.

Sekhmet told the others to follow the orders of Thanos and begin in earnest. The Goa'uld had her kneeling for hours, then hung from the ceiling and whipped, then nearly smothered, before returning to the Kara kesh and zat'nik'tels.

Moloc used a razor-like blade to cut thin gashes on Mokha's legs, blood oozing out, though designed more to scare than make her bleed out. Sobek struggled with a pliers-type tool to pull out one of Mokha's front teeth, then wrestled with another from the back of her mouth. Molok twisted fingers until they snapped, and Sobek yanked one of her arms until the joint dislocated, the arm now dangling loose. As Mokha screamed in pain, Moloc and Sobek stood beaming with pleasure.

As time passed Mokha's dark ordeal got darker. Beatings followed the Kara kesh, then choking and smothering until she nearly passed out, but they never let her completely pass out. They wanted her awake to suffer the maximum of pain. More teeth were pulled, her mouth bloody, beatings left her arms dislocated and her legs fractured, and then the zat'nik'tel again, and the Kara kesh again and again and again. And then they brought something new: boiling oil was poured over her back, which burned terribly but which they controlled so she would not die, and would not pass out into unconsciousness. They wouldn't let her go.

They were unrelenting. While one Goa'uld slept or rested, another stepped in, Sekhmet cool and calculating, Moloc patiently focused, Sobek enthusiastic and never satisfied until he heard his victim scream, each with their own style and preferred method of rendering pain.

Mokha felt continual throbbing cramps and spasms and even an explosive convulsion. She couldn't escape the never never never-ending torment, and despite her resolve her spirits were sinking.

Even so, Mokha fought back with the only thing she had, softly repeating mantras and prayers, over and over again:

_May those wandering in the desert find direction and hope, _

_May those lost in the frozen wasteland find new spirit and peace,_

_May the weary and powerless find inner strength and release. _

_Find the source of all light, look to the source of all light, channel the source of all light, look within, awaken, rise._

o - o - o - o - o

It didn't help matters that Mokha and Namor were kept isolated from each other. And by now they'd lost all track of time. What day was it? Neither had any idea. The best guess was that twice a day, five-minute periods were allotted for meager food rations, just enough to keep them alive. And they probably got no more than two hours of sleep per day, though the number of days that passed was unknown, because the passage of time became a total blur.

o - o - o - o - o

In his chamber Namor awoke, or regained consciousness – he couldn't tell anymore. He'd been pummeled and choked by Marduk and nearly suffocated by Bynaar, Namor now struggling as much as Mokha, barely able to maintain his sanity and wondering how much more he could take.

They let him catch his breath for a few seconds before dripping burning-hot oil over the already inflamed sinews of his back and legs, dousing him with the burning oil and waiting a short time, dousing him with the burning oil again and again waiting a short time, over and over, and then Thanos returned to Namor's chamber, demonstrating for Sokar how to rotate a Kara kesh's angle of penetration, a method designed to manipulate brain waves at the deepest level.

Thanos focused and began rotating the Kara kesh angle; he believed the sensation would be like a screw entering the brain, plunging deep into the cerebral cortex, drilling through neural pathways into the temporal lobe. Could the method actually reverse the electrical or synaptic currents? Thanos believed so, and if done correctly it should drain his victim's will to resist.

Namor felt completely overwhelmed and all he knew was that everything felt twisted and numb, as if every neuron in his brain had been ripped and torn and then turned to liquid, until finally everything that had once been his brain was now sealed in a block of granite, solidified and unable to move. The suffering he felt was unimaginable, the methodical, systematic torture was grinding him down, his resistance dwindling. At some point, the mind will grasp at any shred of hope for release from this unending pain, and finally there was only one thought Namor could muster: There had to be a way out.

o - o - o - o - o

In Mokha's chamber Sekhmet kept at her, telling Mokha, "You must tell what you know – that is your only escape. Help me to help you. I can offer release, whether you choose death or to live as slaves, you will escape this endless pain. I promise you I speak the truth – this is approved by RA. Just tell me what you know."

Mokha tried not to listen, but under this constant pressure it was hard not to hear. As her torture continued she sometimes felt the core of her being growing dim, as if sinking down down down towards zero, and to Mokha's ears Sekhmet's questions began sounding jumbled and incoherent**, **as she faded and drifted into dead, soul-less sensations, drifting into a dead zone, barely a living thing.

She wished she could fall completely unconscious and stay that way for a very long time.

Mokha wondered, if she fell unconscious, could she _will herself_ to stay in that state and not wake up, until she died? Some members of their group of thirty-six believed that – and that it was somehow related to having a Lantean gene. But members of their group had another belief too – that to die in such a state, through one's own will, was the one thing that would bring an end to the cycle of future-lives. They'd die once and forever.

Though the origin of these beliefs was obscure, they all believed it, even Namor. And therefore, though willing herself into a permanent unconscious state was uncharted territory, she held on to it as a last resort, because if this torture continued ... there might be no other alternative.

o - o - o - o - o

With Namor still pondering a way out, Sokar told him, "You have but one life – why throw it away?"

Namor didn't believe that, about having only one life, but even he admitted what Mokha said was true: nothing was certain, future lives were not guaranteed. That didn't matter though, because regardless, they needed an escape, now. And even if the Goa'uld kept their promise to offer a painless death or lives as slaves, he'd have to provide information to the Goa'uld, information that sounded genuine or useful.

_Sokar left Namor's chamber, to confer with Sekhmet _

_and the other Goa'uld. They must coordinate and_

_accelerate their efforts, and increase the levels_

_of pain. _

Namor heard Mokha's screams, and through the opening into her chamber saw her face bloody and her teeth pulled out and the dislocated arm hanging limp at her side, he saw her eyes black from beatings and a leg that looked fractured and bloody scars all over her body, and now, behind Sekhmet, he saw Moloc and Sobek eagerly awaiting their turn with Mokha to deliver more pain.

He turned his eyes away, it was too hard to watch. Yet under this pressure, simmering threads of resentment took hold which, try as he might, he couldn't shake off. Because he found himself thinking none of this was _his_ fault. It was Mokha's plan, not his, he never had much faith in this muddled plan to go through the Stargate to try to change the minds of Jaffa or to get tools or weapons or anything of the sort. The truth is it was Mokha's idea ... though the others in their group didn't know that. And as unofficial group leader they'd blame him for anything that happened to her. Yes, whatever happened they'd hold him responsible, some wrongful version would arise and spread and ... his reputation was at stake. He could lose control of the group.

And then what? Because none of the others had the resolve, the hard, cold _will_ to lead, because leadership meant making hard choices, like accepting the possibility of collateral damage and the loss of innocent lives. Because only _he_ could lead them where they needed to go ... and no one was going to take that away from him!

As Sokar returned, approaching Namor to begin another round of torture, Namor had a sense that his torture was about to move up to a higher level. Now was the time, he had to do something.

Strategies and calculations began swirling 'round and 'round, until something clicked in his mind. He had it! If he gave the Goa'uld some of their group members' names – their true Lantean names, not their Egyptian names, along with their old whereabouts, and only loose, generic physical descriptions, it would not be giving up much. This kind of information would be verifiable to some extent and would sound worthwhile to the Goa'uld, but would ultimately get them nowhere. Assuming nothing misfired, the information would run them in circles.

He decided it was worth a try. He raised his hand to signal a willingness to cooperate with the Goa'uld.

Suddenly, everything changed. The ancient Egyptian scenes faded like a dream and the Keeper appeared before them in the celestial diner. The Game of Destiny was over.

o - o - o - o - o

There was evident tension in the room – every observer and participant in the diner knew how much hung in the balance, everyone there desperate to hear the verdict.

The Records Keeper stepped forward and told them, "These decisions are never easy. We try to see the context and the logic of the situation, but neither life nor courage is a matter of logic. These things are never black and white; courage takes many forms, and the circumstances our rival competitors faced were extreme. How would _you_ react? Clear thinking and pure motives deteriorate for everyone alike, under extreme pressure. I solemnly assure you, we are not here to condemn anyone for their actions.

"But this is, after all, a game, and a winner there must be. My role as Keeper is to render a judgement, and therefore we return to the question of courage. As I see it, true courage looks not after its own interest, nor after its own safety or its own gain. Our _integrity_, too, depends on courage, but courage takes many forms, and it may well be that sometimes, courage is just a prayer.

"Mokha displayed courage, no question, and a simple pure integrity, but Namor's motivations and calculations trouble me. His calculating thought-process regarding the issue of group leadership displayed a cold self-interest, and as such poses a problem – a fatal flaw, perhaps? Understand this: The issue is not about surrender. No, in the end, Namor's thoughts, and his actions, have nothing to do with surrender but everything to do with ulterior motives, which were interwoven with concern for his own role as leader of the group. Is this integrity? Is this courage? Not as I see it. My role is to make the call, and ... I judge that it falls _below the standard_. Therefore, without further delay, I hereby declare Nicole Jackson, then known as Mokha-Em, to be the victor in this Game of Destiny."

Mokha's supporters stood and cheered; Namor's supporters, few as they were, remained silent.

The Keeper waited for quiet, then made his closing remarks:

"With this victory on behalf of the Others, all rules of the ascended realm shall be maintained.

"Maghav Rek'iel is hereby instructed to cease all actions inconsistent with the rules. Any and all interference with those outside the ascended realm is prohibited, including any action which exerts influence on the affairs of those outside the ascended realm.

"Furthermore, this ruling shall apply to all associates of Maghav Rek'iel, including Maghav Mar'tan and all of their so-called _protégés_."

The Keeper paused briefly, then announced, "This Ludus Libati is hereby concluded. Thank you for your participation."

It was over.


	22. Chapter 22

**22**

THE NEXT MORNING, on their way out of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Daniel told Stefan, "Our jet for Kilimanjaro leaves from Peterson Air Force Base. We're taking a van to Peterson." Daniel knew Stefan liked watching the national news at night before bed, and when they got in the van Daniel said, "I had all those meetings last night – what'd they show on the news?"

Stefan said, sarcastically, "Oh, not much. Just another anti-gravity episode in Jerusalem, which resulted in panic in the streets and general pandemonium. Then there were the huge protests at the Vatican in Rome that got out of hand, and led to a mega-riot. But the big story," as Stefan slowed down to build it up, "The big story was about an apparition that appeared over Buenos Aires – and when Brazilian authorities tried to shoot it down, and don't ask me why they did that, but they did and not only did it not work, but immediately afterwards the power went out all over South America. Not just in Brazil, you understand, but throughout all of South America!"

Daniel: "How long did the power stay out?"

Stefan: "For about two hours." Stefan was quiet for a moment then continued, "The power outages, the soaring temperatures ... by the way, the temperature outside today is somewhere in the neighborhood of 118 degrees!"

Daniel: "Yeah, it's terribly hot alright, but I ..."

Stefan broke in, "It's not just the temperatures, Dr. Jackson, it's _everything_. Planetary instability keeps escalating – I think we're already at the tipping point."

Daniel: "According to Sam Carter, we have several more days before we reach that point."

"I believe Dr. Carter is wrong."

"Look, Stefan, there's no denying how severe the situation is, but we can't let our personal insecurities influence our objectivity, can we?"

"No, I guess not."

Daniel said, "Let's just try to keep our balance."

"Maybe you're right. It's just that ... all this talk of _the_ _end times_ – it weighs on my mind." He hesitated then said, "I woke up twice last night with nightmares."

Daniel couldn't blame Stefan for feeling as he did, but now wasn't the time for a meltdown. He told him, "Watching the news these days is like watching a horror movie. Do me a favor, will you? No watching the news at night before bed."

Their jet left from Peterson Air Force Base, east of Cheyenne Mountain. As they got in the air, they saw a plume of smoke rise in the distance, then heard an explosion followed by another plume of smoke. They had no idea what it was all about, and neither Daniel nor Stefan said a thing: constant new phenomena and escalating extremes had become the new normal.

o - o - o - o - o

_For the Others in the ascended realm who expected a change overnight, there was only disappointment. Something had changed, but not much. Though not openly preaching at the River Jordan, Maghav Rek'iel and Maghav Mar'tan continued to assist ascensions using their artificial method, by drawing etheric energy from Earth's planetary grid. How could the Maghavs continue to defy the Directive?_

_A representative for the Maghavs met with some of the Others and claimed that a technical point in the rules allowed for a brief transition period. The Others at the meeting responded that, regardless of interpretations or technicalities, the actions of the Maghavs were contrary to the spirit of the rules. The meeting ended without a resolution. _

_What should be done? Decisive action was expected soon, but the question was ... how soon? _

o - o - o - o – o

Once in the air Daniel and Stefan settled in, Stefan relaxing and telling Daniel, "It'll be nice to be on a nice quiet jet for a few hours, where we're semi-insulated from the outside world."

Daniel: "I know, we'll have a few hours of peace and quiet."

Stefan: "Do you think we'll be able to find the entrance on Kilimanjaro?"

Daniel: "I hope so, but it's one thing having coordinates and something else again recognizing a physical location on a mountain."

Stefan: "It was good of Muchler to lend us his equipment."

Daniel: "I wish we had more training using it. Too bad he wasn't available to come with us."

_But they'd have help. Invisible to them aboard the jet was Shelley, the same newly-ascended protégé who'd helped them on Cimmeria. Shelley had followed them ever since, observing their experience with Merlin's hologram and following their research. She intended to help them in some way._

_She was working on her own: neither Rek'iel nor Mar'tan knew anything about it, nor did she have any authorization from the Others. Shelley was on precarious ground, putting her own future at risk. _

_Her plan to help called for a disguise: she was prepared to appear as a native woman of Tanzania._

Three hours after settling in on the jet, both Daniel and Stefan had dozed off, Daniel dreaming of Nikki in a cemetery standing at the graveside of her adoptive mother Silke, and though Nikki seemed to be staying strong, Daniel wanted to comfort her. Stefan dreaming too, a fretful dream of being boxed-in, trapped in an alley by a bird-man creature with sharp claws like they'd met in the tunnels, then anti-gravity clicked-in and he rose high up, up in the air ... until he looked down as gravity kicked back in and dropped him towards the ground, which now opened-up to swallow him. He woke up sweating, and Daniel woke up too as they heard the pilot tell them they were nearing their destination and would be landing within a matter of minutes.

o - o - o - o – o

At Kilimamjaro Intl. Airport they boarded a small plane to Arusha Airport, where they met the helicopter pilot and tour guide and took off for the mountain.

From the air, they saw the rain forest below give way to higher slopes of arid desert, the pilot following coordinates to a target location on this eastern side but higher up the mountain. They went up over 15,000 ft., past the barren, windswept plain known as "the saddle," with the Kibo Huts Camp below, and into rugged, glacial terrain. With the designated landing place now in sight, the helicopter landed.

Not far from the helicopter, Stefan pointed and asked, "See that? That hillside's consistent with the coordinates, isn't it?"

Daniel: "Yeah, this should be it – but where's the entrance?"

They began scouring every foot of the area, poking the ground, digging though hard-packed dirt and rock, but getting nowhere. They began feeling winded, as much from the thin, low-oxygen air as from the work, and frustration set in.

Stefan: "At this rate, it'll take a week."

Daniel: "What we need is a bulldozer."

The pilot spotted someone walking alone not far away – a young woman, it looked like. He said, "Natives of the Chagga tribe live on the eastern foothill slopes, but I've never seen any of them here alone, this high up."

_Shelley had moved some distance away from them, dropped her cloak of invisibility, and now appeared as a member of the Chagga tribe. She walked towards them. _

The way Daniel later described it: "We didn't approach her, she approached us, asking if we spoke English? She told us she was of the Chagga tribe, who lived on the southern and eastern foothill slopes. She said she sometimes liked to be alone, that she was just 'out for a walk.' She said, 'I know the mountain well.'

"We pointed to where we thought the cave entrance should be and explained how it was important to us to find a way in. She said she would help.

"We were surprised she volunteered so easily and didn't question our motives, but we certainly weren't about to waste any time over-thinking it. She explained that the cave was known to them but that their tribe never entered there, because according to their tradition it was forbidden. Though she wouldn't be able to enter, she would help us enter.

"What followed next seemed extremely strange at the time, even bizarre. The woman seemed to be walking in circles, or in triangles or a mixture of both, but we couldn't see any pattern to it. Was she looking for something, or trying to 'commune with the spirit of the mountain,' or something? We had no idea, we couldn't fathom her purpose or what she was doing."

Daniel and Stefan were trading speculations with each other, until eventually Daniel asked, "What are you looking for?"

She answered, "The center."

Daniel and the others wondered, the center of what? Daniel watched as she continued walking and then something hit him: her walkabout might be tracing an outline of a triacontahedron, a geometric shape he'd studied after Merlin's Program Seventeen hologram mentioned it. Could that be some sort of key, in connection with the cave entrance?

_Shelley understood that the intersection points of meridians would mark the centers of triangles, and she understood the role of a triacontahedron, even without knowing its name. She continued walking and searching. _

_It took time, but finally she found its center. She stood there and waited._

But nothing happened. She said, "I think it needs more weight."

She motioned to Daniel to join her there; still nothing moved. Stefan joined them, and now with over four hundred pounds on that one spot – the cave entrance slowly opened.

Seconds later, they were in.

o - o - o - o – o

Stefan: "So, this was once the headquarters of the group of thirty-six former Lanteans?"

Daniel: "Apparently so. Amazing just to be here, isn't it?

It was dark and cool inside; they got out their flashlights, searching, searching, until they found it ... there! On a metallic pedestal, they saw a bone inlay mosaic box, which shimmered as if it were encased in some protective material. It appeared to be exactly what they were looking for.

Daniel opened the box and found a papyrus scroll, took it out and examined it briefly, then began reading, as Stefan stood looking over Daniel's shoulder:

ON BEHALF OF MERLIN I welcome you here, to this place which has long been a refuge for members of our group. I shall assume you have come here as instructed by Merlin, for information to counteract some dire threat to this planet. Merlin's information shall be given below.

But first, let it be known, I am a witness to one of history's secrets, and I intend to tell it, and perhaps knowing the background of our story will prove relevant and shed light that can also help this planet. I cannot know that, but in any case you shall know the truth. This is my testament.

My name is Mokha-Em. But other names are also mine: Eagan. Krikka. Robin. They all apply to me, as do many other names. We live and die and return to new lifetimes again and again, thirty-six travelers through history, sometimes reborn in unfamiliar countries far away from others of our group, sometimes with no memory of any of this at all. But in this my forty-third lifetime, at the age of fifty-five, I already feel the unmistakable effects of age. My life-force dims, my strength fades, I grow weary as always of the human aging process.

Daniel said, "You remember Mokha-Em, right?"

Stefan: "Yes, one of the thirty-six Lateans who returned to Earth and stayed but did not ascend_._"

Daniel: "That's right." Daniel continued reading Mokha's words:

Thousands of years have passed – since our days in Egypt. According to the calendar people now use, the year is 1601. My friend Sunitra is in England, where Elizabeth is now Queen, and has befriended a playwright there, William Shakespeare.

Namor–Ma is not with us, but I and others of our group have come here to this mountain hideaway as to a refuge and a sanctuary, seeking solace and quiet, to get away, to rest for some short time. And here I have time to look back, to reflect, and so I find myself looking back at youthful days. I suppose we all do that, we remember people we've known and everything that happened but our youthful years maintain their prominence in memory. Namor often talks of the unforgettable time when, in his eleventh lifetime and at the young age of twenty-three years old, he met Sidhartha Gautauma, the man later known to the world as Buddha. Likewise, I was in my sixth lifetime and just nineteen years old when I met John, known as 'the Baptist,' at the River Jordan. Truly, I remember it well.

We took many roles, down through the ages. I was a priestess in the ancient days of Greece. Namor was a priest-astronomer at the Sumerian city of Ur, before the Akkadians invaded there. Both Jagadish and Sunitra knew Socrates. We have been seers and prophets and holy men in ancient Israel and Mesopotamia, Celtic druids in the forests of Gaul, followers of St. Patrick in Ireland, and counselors and inventors and artists, and common people too.

Namor liked being in the limelight, with its prestige and power, but he was the exception. We generally preferred to position ourselves at the edge of society, like secretive agents working behind the scenes, or under cover of darkness, wanting to change things for the better but wanting to stay unknown too, whenever possible. We have been members of secret societies, such as the Eleusinians, the Templars, and other organizations that I dare not mention, lest their identities be discovered and their influence be ruined.

Our goal was to help humans advance and survive and prosper. We championed enlightenment in all its forms, and democracy, and the most important of our goals was always this: to abolish slavery. Thus we fought the Goa'uld in Egypt. We stood behind Spartacus against the power of Rome. We were committed to helping humans find freedom and enlightenment and to oppose slavery wherever we found it.

And yet we admit many of our plans failed, some rather miserably. There are several reasons. For one thing, we were usually acting as individuals, we rarely had the advantage of working together as a group, of acting in concert or even being in one place. We were usually separated, knowing that others of our group were out there, but where? Too often, we didn't know. And we faced another complication, whereby some lifetimes pass unknown to us, our real identities unrecognized, unremembered – just as most humans never remember _their_ past lives.

Another reason plans failed was because we lacked technology. We had no power sources, we lacked the means to create advanced devices. We had no ZPM – the ZPM we'd fought for was somehow misplaced, lost somewhere in time, the same as our puddle jumper aircraft and other Lantean devices, all lost.

And then, these human bodies are a great limitation. Though we always have at least one Lantean gene, our bodies are essentially human, which is to say they are physically lethargic and inflexible and more prone to disease than Lantean bodies. And with brains like these, it is no wonder humans are the way they are. It isn't their fault.

Still, considering these limitations, none of us doubt we have been a good influence. We joke among ourselves, that without us there would be no democracy, neither in modern times nor in the ancient days of Greece. Because we were there, and yes, we were at work.

And certainly, each of us has had some personal successes. I truly relished one particular lifetime when, reborn as a man, I was the one known as Robin Hood, known for taking from the rich to give to the poor. Beyond question, that lifetime was good.

But that ... was a long time ago. In this lifetime my strength is fading and I find myself prone to dwell on darker memories, and one subject in particular brings grief and sorrow of the greatest magnitude, because, more than anything ... I miss my daughter.

You see, the sadness I am never able to forget is joined to the fate of the daughter I'd borne in my eighth lifetime, who became the love of my life, but was then lost to me, abducted by strangers and never found. Taken by whom, and why, I never knew. My grief has lost some edge, I suppose, over the centuries, but the emotional scars and regret go deep and I still suffer terribly. Truly, this separation has been the single greatest tragedy of my many lives. My sadness and my regret never die.

And know this, I am not the only one. Others of our group also had children go missing, separated from us in one way or another, scattered and lost through an endless ocean of time. Such thoughts bring forth a roiling, restless anger ... when I think of it I feel more than ever that I am trapped in these human bodies – as if I myself am the slave! All too often, I wish only for release.

I could ascend. So often am I tempted, to ascend and escape my situation and leave all the troubles of this world behind. At least, I feel fortunate that, because we always have at least one Lantean gene, ascension is always a very real possibility, unlike humans without the gene, who have a much harder time of it.

Do not misunderstand: I still believe in my mission, I still feel the resolve to continue helping humans, and thus to ascend would be a kind of surrender. But there is another reason I linger here, delaying ascension. It is because of Namor. Because he has become _divergent_.

Be patient, very soon I shall give the information you seek, as passed on from Merlin. But I feel it is important you know something more about Namor. As I write this, word has come that Namor has departed from Amsterdam, on a ship bound for what they now call the New World; all group members assembled here are glad to see him go. Indeed, I can only leave this message here because I believe he is preoccupied elsewhere, and will not return here for a good number of centuries and lifetimes. Merlin's information is safe here as long as Namor's focus is elsewhere.

It is true that he and Merlin share a certain genius, which is the reason Namor acted as leader for so long. But so much has changed over time. Namor expects our loyalty, but sets himself apart from us. A few examples: Our search for lost children meant little or nothing to him, and when we invited him to join us in Sherwood Forrest, he just laughed. The concept of helping the poor has lost interest for him. In what lifetime did Namor begin experimenting with mind control, and hypnotic, subliminal conditioning, and when did he first become capable of inducing a kind of paralysis in his listeners? When did he first conceive his new strategy of _tactical suicide_, to enhance his theory of a _calculus_ to control the direction of our new incarnations? And we have heard rumors of other strategies, too dark and divergent to contemplate.

Looking back, we see the pattern repeated over and over, in line with his need to control everything and everyone, no matter the cost. Human lives have become more and more expendable to his goals, nothing more than collateral damage. For him, the ends justify the means. He tells us, "If you want to make an omelette, you'll have to break a few eggs."

He claims to have humankind's best interests at heart, he claims the ascended realm's prime directive rule must change. I have never doubted his good intentions – but I firmly believe he is now out of control and poses a threat to everyone on this planet. The word we use for him is _divergent_. In modern-day speech, he has gone rogue.

Now finally, a few brief words about Merlin's information. Merlin wanted certain information passed on, in case the potential threat to Earth he foresaw ever arose. He handed the information directly to me, secretly by-passing Namor. I tried though was never able to decode Merlin's encrypted message, and there is a reason for that: It is because unlocking the message requires pieces of information from the times in which the threat appears, and so far, no such threat has ever been seen.

So concludes my testament. Below you shall find the information given by Merlin to pass on.

Daniel and Stefan saw a long series of symbols, numbers, Lantean words, words from the oldest human root-languages, and more numbers and symbols.

Stefan said, "This isn't going to be easy."

Daniel: "And once again, it'll take up a lot of valuable time."

Stefan: I hope we're not just going in circles."

With Daniel clutching the papyrus scroll, the men took their leave of Kilimanjaro.

o - o - o - o – o

Back on the jet, westward bound, Daniel's thoughts went 'round and 'round, but several things from Mokha's testament stood out in Daniel's mind: Mokha-Em's lost child, her reference to _the thirty-six_, and Robin Hood. He remembered the time Nikki mentioned some unknown connection with a lost daughter, and past lives and the number 36 and, last but not least, Robin Hood! Nikki had told him she didn't know what it meant, but how could it be pure coincidence? It all matched, didn't it?

What should he make of it? It seemed crazy but ... could Nikki really have been Mokha, was his own daughter really one of _the thirty-six_ that Mokha described in her testament? And what about this person Mokha mentioned, named Namor? Could there be any sort of connection there, with who he was and present-day events?

Daniel saw Stefan staring out the window; he asked, "Stefan?"

"Yes? What is it, Dr. Jackson?"

"Do you remember that day we were driving on our way to the Tel Aviv airport, and we heard that man, Maghav Rek'iel, speaking to a crowd at the River Jordan?"

"I remember it. Why?"

"What did you really make of it all?"

"I remember that _Maghav_ _Rek'iel_ as a roly-poly man speaking nonsense. Enjoying his role in the spotlight in front of a crowd of his _devotees_. And I remember a vanishing act – you know, magic tricks. All rubbish."

"He also mentioned something about a _calculus_, do you remember that?"

"No, I don't remember that." Stefan searching his memory, trying to think, but he said, "No, I don't seem to remember anything about that. But look, Dr. Jackson, you know how it is these days, with the world situation the way it is, you see these guys on every street corner, preaching about the end-times and everything else. It's all very common these days, and I tell you, it's pure rubbish and nothing else."

Daniel understood Stefan's attitude, and he had to admit, the fact that such talk had become so common these days was the reason he himself had essentially ignored the man that day. But now, in light of what they'd read in Mokha's testament writings, well ...

Daniel returned to his thoughts but he couldn't give it up. If Nikki had once been Mokha-Em, then what about Namor? Could Namor be alive today, in a modern-day physical body? What if he was this _Maghav Rek'iel_? Could he have a role in all that had been happening lately?

Daniel asked, "Stefan, what do you make of Mokha-Em's story, and her belief in reincarnation?"

Stefan: "Well, look. If there are some among us, with Lantean genes, who've experienced what she claims to experience, well, that's one thing. It's hard to believe but ... maybe it's true. But for ordinary human beings like ourselves ... I'm just not buying it. I'm sorry – it sounds like nonsense to me, you know?"

Daniel couldn't help thinking that Stefan wasn't his first choice of someone to bounce his ideas off, at least in a case like this. He thought of his old friend Sandrine, on the island of Cyprus. He got his cell phone out and called her, and she picked-up.

"Sandrine? It's Daniel." He gave her a sketch of what happened and asked, "Did you ever hear of a hologram Merlin made, named _Program Seventeen_?"

Sandrine said, "No, I've never heard of any such hologram. But Daniel, I've never told you my whole story, I held it back. And much was unknown even to myself, until a few years ago, but since then I've pieced a lot together, and though what I've learned comes second-hand, I believe it really is true. Daniel, I'm telling you all this now because I think there's a connection between my background and what you've experienced."

Her answer left Daniel with a million questions, but right then Daniel made a decision: He told Sandrine his plans and got off the phone, then talked to the pilot and got him to get authorization from General Landry to make a stop at Larnaca airport in Cyprus. He planned to pay a visit to his old friend, Sandrine.

**o - o - o - o - o**

[Author's Note]: READERS, Just so you can know: When complete, this story will have 25 chapters.


	23. Chapter 23

**23**

When they landed at Larnaca, Daniel asked Stefan to wait with the pilot at the airport; Stefan protested, but Daniel was thankful when Stefan didn't persist.

At Sandrine's home, there were long, warm hugs, both Sandrine and Daniel a bit teary-eyed before Sandrine thought she'd better get down to business and asked, "You said you have something for me?"

He pulled out the papyrus scroll and handed it over. "It's from the cave on Kilimanjaro. Merlin's message basically comes in the form of math and symbols, though there's a few Lantean words as well, words which I can only guess at because they're new to me."

As she opened the scroll Daniel told her, "As far as I can piece it together, his message is from a very early period, long before he'd begun work on the Sangraal weapon."

As Sandrine started glancing through it, Daniel said, "You'll see his message at the end, after a kind of _testament_ written by a Lantean named _Mokha-Em_. Apparently, she wrote it sometime in the seventeenth century."

Sandrine: "_Mokha-Em_, hmm?"

Daniel: "You know something about her?"

"Everything I know is second-hand, but from what I've heard she is held in very high esteem."

Daniel: "Yes, well, aside from getting your help in making sense of Merlin's message, I'd also love to hear anything you can tell me about the _esteemed_ _Mokha-Em_."

Daniel and Sandrine exchanged a serious look ... Daniel hoping she knew as much as _he_ _thought_ she knew, Sandrine thinking she wanted to tell Daniel everything, but not sure if she should.

Sandrine said, "I'm going to make myself a cup of tea. Do you want anything?"

Daniel: "I'd love a cup of coffee if you have it."

Sandrine: "One cup of coffee coming up."

Daniel thinking, what he'd once heard of Sandrine's background was fragmentary; he'd never heard the whole story.

Sandrine thinking, she had to decide how much she could tell Daniel. Because what she knew came from secret contacts with ascended beings, and bringing in anyone else made the chance of trouble that much greater. But, she thought, everyone in the ascended realm had their hands full these days, and considering the dire world situation they faced, it seemed worth the chance.

Sandrine returned and settled in on one of the couches. "Before I read this ..." pointing at the scroll, "I think it best to fill you in on some of the big picture. It might be useful in the long run."

Daniel: "O.K. by me."

Sandrine: "Like I said, everything I know about these things comes second-hand, but my sources are trustworthy."

Daniel: "If you trust your sources, I trust your sources." There wasn't anyone in the world Daniel trusted more than Sandrine. She'd once saved his life.

Sandrine: "Alright then. Of course, you know how Merlin and other Lanteans came to Earth after their war with the Wraith ... and about the thirty-six who stayed? At least thirty-six, maybe more, but in any case that's all known to you?"

"Yes. And about Merlin working on the Sangraal – and everything after that."

"Yes, but there's more to it. Your daughter was one of the thirty-six. As was I. We both have a Lantean gene."

Daniel had begun to suspect as much. "So, in those early days, Nikki was Mokha-Em?"

"Yes. Mokha had many names and lifetimes, but same as me, in our current lifetimes we remember nothing of that. I wish I _could_ remember. Especially about Mokha, because there must have been something special about your daughter."

"And you're saying that because ... ?"

"Because Merlin chose to give possession of his message to _her_, not to Namor or anyone else. He must have _trusted_ her."

Daniel thinking, yes, it all _fits_. "And what about the one Mokha wrote about in her testament, the one known as _Namor_?"

"Yes, Namor. _Not_ my favorite subject. But from what I've heard, he had some rather interesting lives." She told about some of Namor's lifetimes, like the several centuries he spent as a monk in Tibet, practicing intensely-focused meditation and studying esoteric doctrines, including the Tibetan Book of the Dead.

She brought the story back to the present. "Namor developed an artificial method for elevating humans to a unique form of ascension, using etheric energy as a power source. He's now known as Maghav Rek'iel and, along with his partner, Mar'tan, he's responsible for everything that's been happening."

Daniel thinking, _I knew it_! And Sandrine went on, telling him about the challenge Rek'iel put to the Council and his success in the Game of Destiny, and about how his daughter Nikki defeated Rek'iel in the most recent Game of Destiny, and about how things now stood.

She said, "But Rek'iel and Mar'tan have continued their ascensions, breaking the rules and defying the Council. They're still trying to ascend as many as possible, for as long as they can."

Daniel asked, "Why haven't the Others stopped them?"

"Procedural moves were made, asking for a _transition period_, though of course they were really delaying tactics. And questions were raised as to whether the ascensions of those followers, or _protégés_, who hadn't interfered with anyone, should be reversed? Really just more delaying tactics, which don't amount to much, except that the Others lack unity. And why is that?"

Sandrine hesitated, then said, "The story I heard goes like this: After Spokeswoman Sophus was defeated in the Game of Destiny, there was a vote of no-confidence in her as leader of the Council; conflicts arose, the authority vested in the Council then splintered, leaving their ability to take action in disarray."

Daniel was trying to sort all this out. "So, what can be done?"

"I'm confident the Others will act at some point. But the question is, will they act in time, before it's too late?"

She went to refill her tea cup, picking up the papyrus scroll from the counter. Daniel got up and followed her and asked, "What does Rek'iel really get out of all this? What's his primary motivation?"

"Let's say the group of thirty-six, so long, long ago, felt they were on a _mission_, to help humankind – well, they were free to do so, since they were never ascended. With Namor, somewhere along the line the mission changed. He wants loyal followers who'll have a vote in the ascended realm, who'll vote to change the prime directive rule against interference with humans."

Daniel:** "**And what about these loyal _protégé _followers_, _what do_ they _get out of it?"

"Long life, essentially. As hybrid beings their physical bodies age slowly – they can live for hundreds of years."

"Are there any drawbacks, anything they're giving up?"

"None that I can see. Seems like there must be something, but if so I haven't found it yet."

"Do they have special powers?"

"Invisibility. And, I've heard, some sort of _mind-reading_. Or a kind of telepathic _power of suggestion_ ... I know very little about that, but I'll to try to find out more, if I can."

"But they're not invulnerable, correct?"

"That's right, they're not invulnerable." She hesitated, then said, "Daniel, we can't depend on the Others, but I believe the Maghavs and their followers can be stopped, by humans like ourselves. They have physical bodies, they can be killed. The biggest problem would be finding them."

Daniel: "I have a pretty good idea they're in Jerusalem – I wouldn't be surprised if their headquarters turns out to be inside the tunnels under Jerusalem's Old Quarter."

Sandrine: "Well, that's a good start, but what I meant was, their power of invisibility could pose a major problem. Not to mention their telepathic powers – however that works."

Sandrine picked-up the papyrus scroll Daniel had found and began reading. Daniel said, "What Mokha called her _testament_ is written in Ancient."

Sandrine answered, "No problem, I've got it. Listen Daniel, I want to take my time reading this. Why don't you go outside on the grounds, maybe walk around a bit? Nikki used to walk out there. And there's a BMW out in the shed; she took it for a ride once. Maybe you'd like to see it?"

"Sure, I'll be outside. Just give a holler when you're ready for me."

o - o - o - o - o

Outside on her property, Daniel walked and thought deep thoughts and looked out towards the horizon, and imagined Nikki walking here on the grounds, probably full of misgivings, full of concern, her thoughts probably occupied with what she'd be giving up. Who wouldn't feel that way? To give up your loved ones, to give up your life, when you never asked to be in this situation at all, when it really had nothing to do with you? Daniel walked on the grounds mumbling to himself, "It's just not fair."

He walked a bit more and saw the shed Sandrine mentioned, and the BMW motorcycle inside. He got on, just sitting there on the seat, thinking of Nikki. He reflected on scenes of Nikki as a child, scenes of her growing up in their home ... how strange to think that Nikki lived so many lifetimes before he ever knew her.

After awhile he got up and walked some more; he saw the sunset, and wondered – would he ever see her again? He already missed her _so much_! His eyes teared up, but just a few more moments passed and then he heard Sandrine calling. He started walking back and realized he'd always think of his daughter's ascension as a sacrifice, and that meant one thing: he couldn't let it be in vain, couldn't let it be all for nothing. The Maghavs had to be stopped.

What consumed him now was the question of whether they could find something in Merlin's message that could help – and would they have enough time?


	24. Chapter 24

**24**

Sandrine sat hunched over her desk, poring over the scroll. When Daniel entered she said, "The math is beyond me, but you're right, this was written long before Merlin worked on the Sangraal."

Daniel suggested, "Maybe in those early days Merlin's natural communication mode was pure math and science, and only later on developed his affinity for puzzles?"

"Maybe so. The question is, is Merlin's message still relevant now, in this current situation?"

Daniel: "I think it must be, because the Program Seventeen hologram activated, as if somehow knowing it _is_ relevant. Right?"

"Good point." She scanned a section of Merlin's message for the hundredth time, then said, "In fact, I'm starting to get the idea this involves ascended beings. Because look," pointing at a symbol, "what does this look like? Maybe an ascended being?"

Daniel looked and took his time examining it. "Yeah, umm, that symbol is new to me, but I'd say that's a pretty good guess."

"And here, what's this word mean?" pointing at a Lantean word she couldn't translate.

Daniel had trouble translating that word too, when he'd read it on the jet. "The morphology looks Lantean, but it's not any Ancient word we've seen. Most likely the derivation is a word-blend combining Ancient with an old proto-Sumerian root. My best guess is it means something like _look for_ or _search for_ or maybe, something to do with _location_."

Sandrine: "Alright, now look at this," pointing to another obscure symbol. "This one I've seen before. It was used by the group of thirty-six ... but I don't know what it represented. Or, if I ever knew, I don't remember."

Daniel looked closely at the symbol, suddenly realizing he recognized the shape – it was a triacontahedron. He said, "In Program Seventeen's transmission from Merlin, there was talk of an alternate form of energy, _etheric energy I think he called it_. And I remember he said an energy field surrounds our planet ... some sort of grid, which has a shape he described as a triacontahedron. I had no idea what that meant until I looked it up later, but now I'm wondering if there's some connection?"

They both stood pondering the possibilities, then Daniel remembered something else: He told Sandrine, "At Kilimanjaro, a native Tanzanian woman helped us find the entrance to the cave where we found Mokha's _Testament_. To find the particular place to stand to open the cave, the native woman first traced out and found the center of this same shape, a triacontahedron. At least that's the impression I had – but I could be way off."

Sandrine: "Or you could be right on the money, or at least going in the right direction. Because so far we have something about a search, or a location, and something about ascended beings. And if Merlin knew of an alternate form of energy or energy source, maybe symbolized here by a certain geometric shape, then putting those together, well, maybe Merlin wanted to locate ascended beings, and an unknown form of energy is involved?"

Daniel: "Maybe so. Yeah, because I just remembered ... Merlin mentioned, in the Program Seventeen transmission we heard, that he wanted to pin-point just where the Ori were ... maybe that's part of it, that at one time he had an interest in being able to locate ascended beings?"

Sandrine thinking about that. "Yes, just the reverse of hiding from The Others. Maybe his device had multiple uses?"

Daniel: "I don't see why not. And if that's true, it could certainly help us now."

Sandrine nodding in agreement, wondering ... if detection of ascended beings was indeed possible, did that mean Rek'iel's new 'hybrid' ascended beings were also detectable? Daniel thinking, maybe at least they now had enough background to provide Sam with something to work with.

Sandrine said, "Anyway, if the answers and the proof of where this all leads is buried in Merlin's math, well ..."

Daniel: "I'll call Sam. And Stefan too, I guess."

"Who's Stefan?"

Daniel explained, glossing over enough of the negative to where Stefan almost sounded like a team-player.

o - o - o - o – o

Daniel called and reached Sam, telling her about the hologram and Merlin's message and about the complex symbols and math, and then the main thing: "We think the mastermind behind all that's been happening is Maghav Rek'iel, in Jerusalem."

Sam: "That _end-times_ preacher?"

"That's the one." He described more of what he and Sandrine believed might be involved, but also how, as Sandrine said, "If the real answers and proof we need are buried in Merlin's math, well ..."

Sam: "Yes, of course, go ahead and send it over to me. And if you send Stefan a copy he can get started on it too, O.K.?"

Daniel agreed and asked, "Do you know if General Landry's available?"

"I might be able to track him down, but he's so preoccupied with State and Defense Department chiefs ... I don't know how much of his attention you'll get. How about I just let him know what you're up to?"

"Sounds good, thanks. Have you heard from Jack?"

"He's still in Israel with Global Forces. They've got him trying to deal with a messy situation in and around Jerusalem."

"Alright, Sam. I'll call as soon as I have anything new," as they said goodbye and good luck and signed-off.

Next Daniel called Stefan, briefed him on his talk with Sam, sent a copy of Merlin's message to his phone and told him to get on the jet and head back to Cheyenne Mountain.

Stefan asked, "What about you?"

Daniel told him, "As soon as I'm done here, I'll be joining Jack O'Neill in Jerusalem."

o - o - o - o – o

_Shelley, who'd been hitching rides with Daniel and Stefan while maintaining invisibility, had remained at the Larnaca airport with Stefan, but now made a decision: She felt she'd done what she could to help but couldn't risk doing much more. It was time to make her way back, time to rejoin the other protégés in Jerusalem. _

o - o - o - o – o

Meanwhile, Jack had been in Tel Aviv and Jericho and Jerusalem, and saw the same things over and over: traffic grinding to a halt, EMT trucks unable to get through, the trains not moving either – probably because the workers were on strike, and the truckers on strike too. City governments were breaking down, demonstrations and riots were continual and he'd heard reports of people jumping out of windows. But it got a lot worse, like yesterday afternoon, when the region experienced one of those anti-gravity episodes that always ended-up with everything crashing to the ground. All he saw, wherever he looked, was confusion and chaos with no end in sight – though according to what Carter had told them, the days and hours were counting down and time was running out.

Tomorrow Jack had a meeting with Global Forces, who were dealing with threats from the "General of the South," as he was known, who appeared to be mobilizing to move against Global's Northern Alliance. Jack couldn't get out of tomorrow's meeting, but he kept thinking the real question was, Why, oh why did I ever take this job with Global? Just then he heard his phone buzzing and saw – it was Daniel.

He picked up. "Daniel?"

"Hello Jack. Can you talk?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Listen, Jack, I think we've got something." Daniel gave him a brief synopsis like he'd given Sam, about Merlin's hologram and the trip to Kilimanjaro and how, "We're coming to believe that ascended beings or some kind of hybrid quasi-ascended beings are behind all the strange phenomena." Daniel then mentioned about their powers of telepathic influence and invisibility.

Jack responded dryly, "Great. I love chasing evil ascended beings, especially when you can't see them and they can control your mind."

"Yeah, well, let me try to put a positive spin on this, O.K.? They're hybrids with physical bodies. They can be captured, or shot."

Jack: "Well, that's something."

"And I'll talk with my friend Sandrine, because maybe this 'telepathic ability' isn't something that'll overwhelm a person, but is relatively subtle? I don't know, but probably our biggest problem is the invisibility issue. That's where Sam comes in."

Daniel knew a lot depended on what Sam could do with the message from Merlin they'd found on Kilimanjaro, and told Jack, "Sam and Stefan are working on it; she said she'd call and let us know as soon as she's got something."

Jack was taking it all in. Daniel said, "I think we have to go after the Maghavs and their _protégés_, as people call them, and we think they're in the same tunnels where we were before. Would you be able to get an Israeli authorization to go back in there?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I could."

"Jack, we've got to go back in."

"I'm ready. I've _been_ ready."

"O.K., then I'll fly in tonight, or as soon as I can."

"Good. Call me when you get here."

o - o - o - o – o

CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN. By the time Stefan arrived Sam had a lot to tell him. She said, "I was slowed down by Merlin's method of integrating kinetic equations, but there's no reason Merlin's system of complicated integro-differential equations can't be simplified and reduced to ordinary differential equations."

Stefan nodded in agreement and Sam asked, "Do you agree that Merlin seems to be describing charged-current neutrino interactions, whereby neutrinos convert into leptons?"

Stefan: "Yes, and would you agree his focus is Lepton radiation and, in particular, Tau neutrinos"

Sam: "Yes, my thinking exactly."

Their discussion continued, mostly centered around lepton radiation, neutrino detection and Merlin's interdimensional phase-shifting device, as they eventually reached some admittedly still-speculative conclusions. At this point General Landry and two military scientists entered and joined them, looking for updates and hoping against hope for good news in their research.

General Landry introduced the scientists and asked, "What can you tell us, Dr. Carter?"

"Well, first, it's possible the origin of the crisis we're facing involves ascended beings, in one form or another. Second, team members Dr. Jackson and Dr. Davidson just made a trip to Tanzania, where they found a message from Merlin in a cave on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Apparently, Merlin left the message many thousands of years ago with the intention that it could help us in just the kind of crisis situation we're facing now. I want to caution everyone here that we've hardly begun to analyze and translate the message, so we shouldn't get overly optimistic just yet. On the other hand, it's just possible the message could help solve our crisis."

She knew some of these scientists knew more of the background of this than others, so she tried to think of the best place to start and said, "Some of this has become common knowledge, but before Merlin ever began work on a Sangraal device, he built the interdimensional phase-shifting device we found under Glastonbury Tor, a device designed to conceal his work on the Sangraal from view of The Others on the ascended planes. Merlin was interrupted before completing the Sangraal, but the phase-shifting device remained at Glastonbury until we found it in, uhh, let's see, 2005?"

"That's right, 2005," General Landry affirmed.

Sam continued, "Now, we've long known that Merlin's phase-shifting device produces lepton radiation, but after examining the message Daniel and Stefan brought back from Tanzania, we now believe his device has the potential for multiple functions."

One of the scientists with General Landry asked, "What other kind of functions?"

Stefan jumped in, "Detecting and monitoring a specific kind of lepton radiation, that results from Tau neutrinos." Sam and Stefan exchanged a glance, knowing their explanation could get technical.

Stefan continued, "Keep in mind that lepton radiation is the result of neutrinos interacting with ordinary matter. But neutrino detection isn't easy, because they have virtually no mass and don't respond to electromagnetic or strong nuclear forces."

Sam: "Stefan's right. They've been called _ghost particles_. Millions of neutrinos pass through our bodies every hour, unknown to us and without interacting with anything in any way at all."

Stefan: "They're out there, we just can't detect them. Especially _Tau neutrinos." _

Sam: "That's right. Which leads to the important part, because Merlin focused on Tau neutrinos, which are so elusive only five or so have been detected since they were first found in 2002."

Stefan: "Then we come to the question, how was Merlin able to detect them? And _why_ did that matter to him?"

Sam: "It matters because we believe his device had a secondary function – keeping track of The Others, or the Ori, on the ascended planes."

Sam paused, thinking about what she wanted to say. "There's two main things to understand here. First, from our interpretation of the symbols and equations in Merlin's message, we believe Merlin discovered that ascended beings are linked with an alternate energy form he called _etheric energy_. It may be that ascended beings depend on it. But he also found that Tau neutrinos can more easily be detected when they pass through these energy fields, and vice-versa, when you find etheric energy fields you'll likely also find Tau neutrinos."

Stefan: "Either way, find the Tau neutrinos or the energy fields and you have a higher probability of finding ascended beings."

Sam: "Right. And the second important thing is this, that we now believe rogue, quasi-ascended beings on Earth are behind the catastrophic phenomena we've experienced; and last but not least, they have the power of invisibility."

One of the scientists asked, "So the bottom line, you're saying, is that Merlin's device can help us locate these ascended beings here on Earth?"

Sam: "That's it. Though it needs some reconfiguring."

General Landry had been listening carefully and asked, "Dr. Carter, how much time do we have left, at this point, before we reach what you've referred to as _the tipping point_?"

Sam: "Our best current estimate is ... three, four days at most."

o - o - o - o – o

Sam and Stefan got back to work; they had a lot to do and not much time. They believed Merlin's device was capable of detecting ascended beings and presumably could make them visible, too, but believed modifications would be needed for hybrid ascended beings fused with physical bodies.

Certain sensors would have to be positioned at oblique angles, with some coordinates needing to be fine-tuned and others completely recalculated. Sam's idea was to re-work the core data analytics in her fractal nonlinear detector, connect it with Merlin's device, then configure her laptop as a platform interface between her fractal detector and Merlin's device.

Stefan's help was considerable, and important, but the big ideas were Sam's. One day passed as they worked on the modifications, then another, until late on that second day they finally got it done.

Sam called Daniel in Jerusalem and told him, "We've got it. We're ready." And then, "Yes, you can tell Jack we're on our way and we'll be joining you soon."


	25. Chapter 25

**25**

**JERUSALEM. Sept. 17, 2023.** At 0830 hours, most of their group were gathered outside the tunnel entrance.

Jack: "So Daniel, you said that tunnel guide we had before would be here?"

"He should be here any minute."

A small van arrived and they saw Edwin Reed get out; from the other side, Stefan got out.

"For cryin' out loud." Jack groaned, turning to Sam, "Am I missing something here? How is he _not_ a liability?"

Sam: "I need his help with my equipment. It'll be O.K."

Jack shook his head and shrugged. He'd been huddling with Sam, Daniel and Teal'c and now told them, "The Israelis will have a special ops squad outside the tunnel entrance, but they're sending two cross-trained medics in with us. Their names are Noam and Sara.**"**

Stefan walked up to Jack and asked, "Am I to understand the vicious _bird-man creatures _that attacked us the last time are gone from the tunnels?"

"That's right."

"How can we be sure?"

"According to a confidential source, they've flown the coop. Where to, we don't know, but right now that's not a priority."

"But this, uhhh, _confidential source_ – who is it?"

Jack told him, "Sorry, that's classified. And confidential. Look, let's just say we're as sure they're gone as we _can_ be, under the circumstances. But Stefan, if you have qualms about going back in and decide not to join us ... I certainly won't hold it against you."

Stefan looked jittery but backed-down from pushing the issue, and Jack moved on. He turned to Daniel and asked, "Did you brief the two Israelis about the other situation ... about the whole 'mental attack' thing, as you called it?"

Daniel: "Yes. I talked to both of them on the phone and told them what I've told everyone else – but it wouldn't hurt if I reviewed the situation again with the whole group. I mean ..."

"No, by all means, Daniel, review it again. Good idea."

As the tunnel guide and Stefan and the two Israeli soldiers joined them and gathered 'round, Jack called out, "Listen up, people. This is important."

Daniel had talked to Sandrine and they'd gathered some information and briefed everyone, but now he reviewed it all again, about defending against what he'd called "mental attacks" from the Maghavs and their loyal protégés.

Reed asked, "Can they actually insert an idea into your mind?"

Daniel: "We don't know for sure, but if a mental attack comes you'll likely feel sleepy or drowsy and disoriented, and that's the tip-off you're slipping under their powers of suggestion. If you don't realize what's happening and try to block it you'll slip under their control ... like sinking into quicksand."

They nodded in acknowledgement and he told them, "We think the best way to block their telepathic powers of suggestion is to choose something or someone who represents strength or power and make a mental image of it, so when trouble starts call up that image and focus with everything you've got and direct their telepathic influence away from you. You're creating your own personal _symbol of power_, so make it emotional and something you really believe in."

The Israeli medics asked for an example, and Daniel told them, "How about the Jewish Star of David? Or any of the great saints or prophets, or someone in history that's important to you, and represents power. It could be someone you know. Anyone or anything you feel you can put your trust and faith in."

Jack: "I think of it as a _shield_."

Daniel: "That's right. Use it as a shield." Daniel looked over their faces, wishing he really knew what he was talking about. He asked, "So, everybody got one? Any more questions?"

There were a few more questions and Daniel did his best to answer them, until Jack called out, "Alright people, double-check your equipment and fall in line."

o - o - o - o - o

At 0900 hours Jack and Edwin Reed led them in, going underground through the Zedikiah's Cave entrance into _Solomon's Quarries_, same as before.

Stooping to enter, everything dim inside, using their flashlights and lanterns, and as they entered the immense cave-vault of Solomon's Quarries Daniel remembered Nikki's amazement when they came here the first time.

With Edwin Reed starting out front, they descended as before in a southwesterly direction through tunnels and passages leading to lower and lower depths, climbing over huge chunks of rock, water trickling down the walls of white limestone rock, small pools in some places, and then the large open space with deep mine pits barricaded by ropes.

Reed was leading, followed by Jack and Teal'c, then Sam and Stefan and Daniel, with the two Israelis bringing up the rear, everyone armed to the teeth including C-4 explosives and blowtorches and gas masks. The Israelis had backpacks with emergency gear like super-light-weight hazmat suits for everyone, and Stefan was helping Sam carry her equipment, which was essentially Merlin's device now modified.

Jack had them trekking along at a reasonable pace but they were barely past the first vault when Daniel noticed that Stefan didn't look good. Daniel asked, "You O.K.?"

Stefan: "My stomach feels kind of queasy."

Stefan walked to the side of the tunnel, got sick to his stomach and threw up.

Daniel: "You gonna be alright?"

"Just an upset stomach, I guess. I'm O.K."

Jack looked disgusted and muttered, "Not the best way to start."

o - o - o - o - o

They descended southwest on the same step grade where Carter fell the first time here, passing the mine pits, traveling through caverns and aqueducts and caves and tight-squeeze channels, all the while speculating about how and where they'd find the Maghavs and their "protégés," and whether they'd be facing gun battles or  
"mind games" and whether "Sam's device," as they'd begun calling it, would really work as they hoped it would.

They saw bats and birds flying inside the tunnels, which they'd not seen the last time they were here, and large numbers of rats scurrying about too; Teal'c asked, "This is abnormal, Daniel Jackson, is it not?"

Daniel agreed and they asked Reed, who told them, "Yeah, it's very unusual, no doubt about it. Seems like they're running amuck down here!"

Daniel, walking behind Sam and Stefan, heard the Israelis behind him speaking in low voices in Russian, a common second-language for Israelis. Their talk had a brooding tone, he realized they were talking in somber apocalyptic terms of what it would mean if the Holy Temple were rebuilt and what would happen if it came time for the resurrection of the dead.

A short time later the two Israelis, Noam and Sara, said they saw 'shadows' disappearing around the bend behind them, though nobody else did. And when Daniel saw that the Israelis were hanging back a bit, not quite keeping up with the rest of the group, he asked them about it. The told him, "We're taking charge of making sure that all was secure from the rear."

Daniel's impression of them was that they might be rather somber, and brooding, but were otherwise level-headed and diligent. They kept to themselves though, and tended to speak in whispers and in languages that no one but Daniel could understand, making them seem suspicious to some of the other team members.

o - o - o - o - o

Sam could see Stefan looked jittery, and spooked, probably because he couldn't stop thinking about the deformed, bird-like creatures they'd faced in the tunnels the last time they were here.

Stefan asked Sam, "How sure are you those creatures are really gone?"

Sam: "Close to a hundred percent. Let's say ninety-eight or ninety-nine percent. But Stefan, keep in mind our device should make them visible, should any of them still remain here. If we can see them, we can stop them. Though I have to say, Daniel and I think they were innocent victims too, of experiments done to them by the Maghavs."

But Stefan wasn't really listening, he still looked jittery and queasy and now and again stopped to whisper, "Listen! Do you hear something?" Stefan kept doing that, until Sam began tuning him out.

Jack, up front with Teal'c and Reed, called back to Sam, "Carter, your device finding anything yet?"

Sam called back, "Nothing yet."

o - o - o - o - o

Some more time passed and Sam found herself remembering their first time through the tunnels, when she and Nikki were walking together and Nikki asked, "Samantha, what's makes your device a _fractal nonlinear resonance_ _detector_?"

Sam remembering that detail**, **how Nikki always called her 'Samantha.' And Sam remembered how she'd tried to explain to Nikki about the amplitude of the oscillations and about her research group in Colorado using wave turbulence theory to study dispersal functions among resonance clusters to isolate non-intersecting resonance clusters, and so on. And then how she'd asked Nikki, "Is there a boyfriend?"

"Kind of," Nikki told her. "It's complicated."

His name was Freddie, and when she'd asked her, "Any chance things will get better?" Nikki told her, "_He'd_ have to change. He has expectations of normalcy I can't meet."

Sam had sensed something vulnerable in Nikki and had wished she could do something to help, but Nikki told her, "I'll be O.K., Samantha, I'm tougher than I look."

Sam found herself wondering about Freddie. She dropped back to walk with Daniel and asked, "Daniel, ever hear from Freddie?"

"Once. One time we talked. But I, uh, I have the idea he's O.K."

"I think your daughter will be O.K. too."

Daniel said, "Yeah, I'm sure she will." Though he didn't really feel so sure, and talking about her wasn't easy. But he was trying to keep himself positive and he told Sam, "The last time I talked to her she told me, '_I won't see you for a while; I don't know for how long. But I love you Dad, and I'll always be with you in spirit_.' I'll never forget that."

Sam: "Hmmm, I like that. _I'll be with you in spirit_."

She was about to shift gears and ask Daniel something about their _symbols of power,_ when she and Daniel saw Stefan step to the side, looking sick and retching again; when it passed he came back telling them, "I'm O.K., I'm O.K."

Up ahead, Jack too had been looking back and saw Stefan retching, and Jack told Teal'c, "I've made a decision. Whatever happens today, I intend to blame it on Stefan."

Teal'c: "Considering the circumstances, O'Neill, I find your decision quite reasonable."

And now Sam and Daniel saw Jack stop and look back at the Israelis, Jack with an altogether vexed look on his face, and Sam and Daniel knew why: The Israelis kept falling behind, this was the fourth or fifth time in the last half hour and Jack was losing patience with them.

Like Daniel, Sam had much the same opinion as the rest of the team about the Israelis: they seemed well-trained, disciplined and experienced, but they kept to themselves and when others got close often switched from English to Hebrew or Russian, giving the impression of being secretive, which made other team members feel suspicious.

So it didn't help matters when they started falling behind and drifting further and further back, and this time further than ever, until eventually they'd disappeared completely out of sight!

Jack yelled, "What the hell's the matter with them?!" Everyone else too, standing there looking back in astonishment. Jack had enough, "Let them go," shrugging his shoulders. He said, "Let's keep moving, people, let's move forward."

But seconds later Jack wondered if things might be unraveling – he found Reed standing there up ahead, just staring into space and not reacting when he called to him. Jack put his hand on Reed's shoulder to shake him out of it, "Reed! Reed, you O.K.?"

Reed seemed startled but at least he'd snapped out of it, reacting as if he'd got stuck in a daydream. "I'm O.K.," he said. "I just sorta dozed off for a second, I guess. Sorry. But I'm O.K."

Jack looked back and asked, "Carter, anything yet?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure."

This might be good news, and they could use some. Jack had them all come to a halt.

o - o - o - o - o

_Meanwhile, far back in the tunnels, Maghav Mar'tan had wound his way back to their inner sanctum, where he found Maghav Rek'iel focused on his work with new converts._

_Mar'tan told Rek'iel, "I have news – there are developments."_

_Rek'iel, completely absorbed in his work, didn't want to be disturbed. "It must wait. I can't stop now, not with a hundred converts awaiting our help to ascend. Empty soul cases are warm and waiting."_

_Mar'tan: "Listen to me, Maghav. Intruders have entered the tunnels, the same group as before." _

_Rek'iel registered the bad news – but he had been expecting something like this. He spoke slowly and deliberately, "We don't need much more time, two days at most. If we can help a hundred converts ascend today, and another hundred tomorrow, that should be enough." He paused, reflecting on the situation for a moment; "Normal conditions on this planet will return very soon, once we shut down the etheric energy flow, but we need two more days. Mar'tan, you and the protégés must handle the intruders."_

_Mar'tan wished it were that simple. "What about The Others? Will they not intervene?" _

_Rek'iel: "I believe we can count on their traditional slowness to act." _

_Mar'tan: "You may be right. But as to the intruders ... few of the protégés are experienced enough for this."_

_Rek'iel: "True, but I have complete confidence in you to handle this. I suggest you take only those protégés you consider most worthy, then dredge the minds of the intruders for any weakness. Warp each vulnerable psyche and spin them backwards, until they are unrecognizable to themselves ... or until they falter and drop from exhaustion."_

_"__And if our powers fail to stop them?"_

_"__Then we move on to stage two." _

_Mar'tan couldn't hide his misgivings about stage two. Telepathic manipulations were one thing, but moving to stage two, well ... _

_Rek'iel was aware of Mar'tan's doubts, aware Mar'tan had limits that he himself didn't share. He put his hand on Mar'tan's shoulder and fixed his gaze on him. "We've come too far, we're too close to let anything stand in our way. Because the rules of the ascended plane must change, agreed?" Rek'iel's voice deepened, full of earnest conviction, "You and I want the same thing, we have the same noble goal, but our reward is to be misunderstood, forced to the edge, hunted ... yes, we are hunted and forced to hide, like animals!"_

_Rek'iel stopped and collected himself. "Mar'tan, you are my one true ally. My brother, my dear comrade, I can't do this alone. We must stand together. We must keep our resolve and stand firm, because nothing matters more than fulfilling our mission. Surely you agree?" _

_Mar'tan nodded in acknowledgement, his loyalty strong, though he still had serious misgivings about moving to stage two. Hopefully, it wouldn't be necessary. He answered, "Agreed, I'll handle it," as he took his leave._

_Mar'tan went to gather the best of their protégés. He believed Rek'iel wasn't ruthless, but simply single-minded in his dedication to the cause, a cause in which Mar'tan firmly believed. Mar'tan's doubts lingered, but loyalty prevailed and pushed him forward._

o - o - o - o - o

Jack's team had come to a halt, waiting while Sam and Stefan checked their readings and made adjustments to their equipment.

Jack asked, "So Carter – you got something?"

Sam and Stefan were preoccupied, still checking their device.

Jack: "Carter? Any good news?"

Sam: "We thought we had something ... but apparently not."

Stefan: "Looks like a false positive.

Sam: "Whatever it was, it's gone."

Jack: "It'll come," trying to reassure them, "any time now." Scanning ahead, he called out, "Alright people, break's over, let's move out." Thinking about Reed, Jack said, "And let's all be ready to focus – you know, the _shields_ thing. Got it?"

Everybody responded in the affirmative and got back in gear, moving on, struggling with more twists and turns, fighting the dim light and rough terrain. As they went in further the dim tunnels seemed to get darker, and Daniel wasn't the only one feeling some fatigue set in. Several times already he'd reminded the team members to try to focus on their _shields_, as Jack called them, and now, to help keep himself and the others alert, Daniel got them talking, asking them all about their choices for _symbols of power_.

Stefan told them his choice of a "protector" was Merlin because, "Merlin was "kind of a _maverick_, like myself." Daniel and Jack did their best not to laugh. The two Israelis said they combined an image of the prophet Elijah, holding the symbol of the Star of David.

Edwin Reed told them, "I feel as if Saint Anthony's my own personal patron saint. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but he's saved me from being lost many a time – too many times to not have faith in him now."

Sam told them, "Oma Desala's the best protector I know; hopefully my mental image of her will do the trick."

Jack said, "I'm putting my confidence in Thor – as long as Thor's standing side by side with Oma." His image had them linked arm in arm.

Teal'c told them he would focus on the flag of the Jaffa Free Nation, their multitudes united as one – but for good measure his image had Oma Desala hovering above them all.

Daniel was kind of an exception, choosing to hold on to a personal image of his daughter, fully-ascended. He told them, "My image has Nikki with a warrior's shield and sword, surrounded by an aura of blazing white light."

o - o - o - o - o

Keeping focused was key, but total focus while walking over the rocky terrain wasn't easy, what with someone occasionally stumbling, or checking their equipment, or talking ... or even humming.

Daniel was humming a song, he couldn't get it out of his head. Some soft, Brazilian folk song he knew, quiet, lilting, soothing. That went on for a while before he realized that was kind of strange, because he didn't to need to have his nerves soothed, he needed to wake up!

He caught up with Jack and said, "Jack, I don't know why, but I'm finding it hard to focus."

Jack told him, "Me too. I keep thinking of my dog, Blue, and being home in Minnesota and sitting in a chair fishing ... you know, like you said, I just don't feel _focused_. But I'm not feeling particularly sleepy or drowsy or whatever you'd expect to feel if one of those _attacks_ were in play, right?"

Daniel: "Right. And Sam and Stefan aren't picking up positive readings yet, so ..."

Jack: "So, we'll push forward and play it by ear. Alright?"

Daniel: "Alright."

o - o - o - o - o

_From far off in the tunnels, Mar'tan and the newly-ascended protégés had been tracking the intruders and softening them up, telepathically sending tonal waves as soothing as a children's lullaby, spinning serene nets layer upon layer designed to set seductive islands of tranquility in the minds of the intruders, relaxing and hypnotically lulling them into a mental paralysis, where there was no need to move forward, no need to move at all. _

_Mar'tan sensed resistance from the intruders, though their resistance was uneven and riddled with gaps. Even so, to strengthen his hand distractions were needed; he directed the protégés toward secret passageways to encircle the intruders and then reflect the intruders' own _defensive mental images back on themselves. 

o - o - o - o - o

Jack felt annoyed but also relieved when the two Israelis who'd fallen behind finally caught up and rejoined the rest of the team. But they had a story to tell that caught them all by surprise:

Noam and Sara said they wanted to apologize for falling behind but were just trying to protect against anything from the rear, but then they'd lost their bearings and turned a bend and saw ... Elijah, holding the Star of David symbol in his hand, as if their symbol of power had come to life!

Jack: "You mean, it wasn't just a mental image, it was something real?"

Noam: "That's right! We saw Elijah welcoming us, calling us towards him but we began feeling sleepy, or _something_."

Sara: "It was strange, We almost fell asleep. If it wasn't for a voice whispering in the tunnel, we might be there still."

Noam nodded in agreement, "Yes, she's right, that's true."

Jack and Daniel and the rest of the team didn't know what to make of it. When the Israelis moved to the side, away from them, Stefan said, "They got lost and now they're making things up. Embellishing everything with nonsense."

Reed joined in, saying, "Yeah, probably so. I never did trust them anyway."

Stefan: "They're _kooks_, they shouldn't even be here."

Jack: "Look, one way or another we're stuck with them, and we have to make the best of it. Let it go, O.K.?"

The group wanted to continue moving forward, so, after reminders from Jack to keep their guard up, they essentially ignored the Israelis' story and pushed ahead.

o - o - o - o - o

_With the protégés now dispatched, Mar'tan continued working on the intruders, pulling elements of consciousness from their minds, condensing and funneling their content into a malleable material capable of being shaped and telepathically influenced._

The team pushed on, Reed up front leading the way, when Sam's device suddenly went off. They all got ready for action but Reed stopped, so excited his jaw dropped. He called back to the rest of the team in a hushed tone, "I just saw _Saint Anthony_! I think he's leading us, trying to show us the way!"

Sam's device went dead again and Reed saw Saint Anthony's image fade out. He stepped back to join the group.

Jack: "So Reed, you're saying it wasn't a mental image, that you saw him ... _out there_?

Reed: "That's right, he was real."

But neither Jack nor any of the other team members were sure what to think. Sam said, "I don't trust it. This could be some kind of hallucination."

Reed protested, "No, I'm telling you it's a miracle! Seeing is believing, and I trust my own eyes."

Stefan: "Do we trust our eyes, or Merlin's device?"

Jack asked Daniel, "If Reed's or anybody else's mental image 'shield' jumps out of their head and _materializes_, could that mean they focused _too hard_?"

He didn't get an answer right away. "Daniel? Carter? Did Reed and the Israelis catch a glimpse of the semi-ascended beings we've been looking for – or are they just our own _shields_?"

Daniel: "I don't know. If what Reed saw was a mental projection of his own symbol of power, then it had to either be a hallucination, or it somehow actually materialized. And if Reed's mental image actually materialized, I'm guessing ascended beings are involved. Right?"

Sam: "Yes, that's my guess. Especially considering Merlin's device got a positive reading right about the time Reed saw his symbol materialize. I think we're seeing the hybrid ascended beings we've been looking for; I think we can trust Merlin's device."

Jack asked, "Teal'c, what d'ya think?"

Teal'c: "I have confidence that Merlin's device has detected ascended beings. I suspect they are the enemy we seek."

Jack: "Makes sense to me. Stefan? Any comment?"

Stefan: "I think we should trust our device."

Daniel: "Me too. Maybe shoot first and sort it out later?"

Jack: "Yeah, sounds right. I agree. Next time we see an image out there, and especially if Carter's device goes off, shoot at will. Let's move out, people. Stay sharp, and use extreme caution."

They moved on, through more twists and turns, going slow through one particularly narrow tunnel, which brought them to a good-size tunnel chamber where they stopped to rest. And now _again_ Sam's device went off, this time strongly enough that it startled them!

Stefan pointing, "It's coming from that direction."

Sam turning around, "No, from this way."

"Yes, but ..." Stefan turning around too, and by now they both realized the device was picking up multiple directions – which could make everything a lot more complicated.

_The protégés emerged from secret passageways, surrounding them from every direction yet still invisible. _

All at once the team members felt everything change: Stefan saw his own shield, Merlin, not in his mind's eye but _out there_, for real! Edwin Reed again saw Saint Anthony – another miracle, he thought! Sam saw Oma Desala, hovering above, and Jack too, because he now saw Thor, _out there_, waving him on, and sure, they'd all heard what Reed and the Israelis said, but when it happened to you, well ... ...

Jack hesitated. Same for everyone else. Daniel saw Nikki, fully ascended and radiant and carrying a warrior's shield and sword; Teal'c saw Bra'tec – should he shoot at Bra'tec? The two Israelis again saw the prophet Elijah, holding the Star of David and beckoning to them.

Everybody hesitated.

_It was the exact opening Mar'tan needed; he released the full force of a perfectly harmonized psychic chord designed to stop them in their tracks._

It came on fast. Jack suddenly felt _stuck_, as if he'd somehow fallen into a place of pure, silent emptiness where everything had come to a standstill. He couldn't move. He couldn't get a grip on his mind. Teal'c experienced the strange sensation of something that didn't seem possible – as if being held captive in an involuntary state of Kelno'reem. Reed tried to muster an image of St. Anthony, but couldn't, as if his mind had somehow been emptied out. The others feeling these surreal distortions too – Daniel swimming in a slow-motion dream, Sam and Stefan and the Israelis sinking, submerged, all of them _stuck_ and starting to feel powerless and trapped and mentally paralyzed.

They were hardly aware of falling to the ground, or that Sam's now unattended device began rocking with activity; unaware, too, that Sam's device had rendered the protégés visible ... because the team members were barely conscious, lying immobile on the tunnel floor.

_Mar'tan wouldn't need much more time. The deepest level of control and domination over the intruders was very, very close._

But not yet. Like the others, Sam was not yet completely unconscious; depleted, yes, but able to hear something: the faintest whisper in her ear, "Samantha," her name echoing through her barely conscious mind, "Samantha ..." again and again, the whisper persistent, unmistakable, "Samantha, wake up, Samantha, wake up, awaken the others ..."

Sam hardly aware of anything, barely conscious, the whisper like a gentle breeze so soft she thought she was dreaming ... but there it was, her name again whispered close to her ear and very real, "Samantha," wake up, wake the others." Sam thinking, I can't be dreaming, this is _real_. It was getting through, it finally registered – I must get up!

Struggling to open her eyes, struggling to move, but she'd later say it was as if some supernatural force breathed a spark into her and helped pull her up ...

She slowly, slowly rose and saw Daniel struggling too, and called out, "Daniel, wake up!"

Sam was almost up, Daniel slowly rising, Jack and Teal'c trying to stand, as she finally stood up and heard Merlin's device going crazy! And saw what everyone else would soon see: the protégé ascended beings were _visible_!

It seemed like a spell had been broken, because now Jack and Teal'c and the other team members were all coming back to themselves and standing ... and moments later Sam and Daniel heard shots fired ... it was Jack and Teal'c, up with weapons in hand and firing at the retreating ascended beings!

_Mar'tan operated from a distance, he wasn't there on the scene, but he knew the protégés broke and ran at the first shot, knew they scattered and began a full-out retreat._

Now both Jack and Teal'c were racing after the protégés, Jack a little ahead of Teal'c and yelling, "They're bearing right!" then a second later, "Now to the left!" and then "To the right again!"

Because Jack and Teal'c saw them zig-zagging through the tunnels, their visibility flickering on and off as they got further from the chamber, making them hard to see, and now on top of that, what Jack saw seemed impossible! He yelled to Teal'c, "What, are they bouncing off the walls?!"

Teal'c: "It does appear so."

Jack: "And they're moving damn fast!"

Teal'c: "Indeed."

Still in pursuit, Jack huffing from the chase, Teal'c passing Jack and when he got within range of a protégé who looked exactly like Master Bra'tek ... he shot him down without hesitation. "Bra'tek" fell to the ground, his appearance reverting to normal as he fell. Jack got within range of one who appeared to be Thor – Jack blasting him with his rifle then stepping over the man, whose appearance reverted to an ordinary, now-dead protégé.

As Jack and Teal'c sprinted after them and got off some shots, bullets ricocheted off the tunnel walls, some shots grazing a few other protégés – but they were getting away fast. Daniel and Sam and Stefan and all the other team members still behind and trying to catch up, but the retreating protégés kept putting more distance between themselves and Jack's team and were quickly escaping.

As the protégés disappeared deep into the tunnels, Jack and Teal'c came to a stop, while Sam and the others caught up.

Daniel: "Any sign of them?"

Jack: "No, I don't see a thing."

Teal'c: "Even the faint flicker I saw seconds ago has now disappeared."

Sam: "The flickering we saw is related to distance, because the effectiveness of Merlin's device decreases with distance."

They all stopped to rest and re-group. Reed said "We were pretty deep under, back there. Like being under a spell. What if we didn't wake up?"

Daniel: "Good question. But apparently something broke the spell."

Sam: "Something, or _someone,_ broke the spell."

Daniel: "Yes ... and maybe it was like breaking a link in the chain. And after that, maybe their powers broke down, and they got spooked and retreated?"

Jack and Reed and the others nodded in agreement as they all got ready to go again, while Sam took Daniel aside and asked, "When you were trying to wake up – did you hear a voice? A young woman's voice?"

Daniel: "I did."

"She called me _Samantha_. Only one person I know used to call me that."

"Nikki?"

"Yes, Nikki. Do you think she's here with us?"

"Maybe." Daniel pondered the possibility for a moment. "When she said, _I'll be with you in spirit_, do you think she meant it _literally_?"

Sam had a feeling it was a pretty strong possibility.

o - o - o - o - o

_Back at their headquarters, Mar'tan reported to Rek'iel and told him he accepted responsibility for what happened. Rek'iel couldn't hide his disappointment but said no, it wasn't his fault, and ruefully remarked, "The protégés were just not up to the task. I was expecting too much."_

_Mar'tan: "Perhaps so. How much are you're aware, that most of our newly ascended protégés are not completely comfortable in their new astral bodies, much less adept at using telepathic powers?"_

_Rek'iel: "Yes, I'm aware of it. They experience the world off-kilter, too often accompanied by a physical sensation like trudging through heavy snow."_

_Mar'tan: "Is it a matter of etheric and astral alignment?" _

_Rek'iel: "Yes, more experimentation is needed. I shouldn't have expected so much – but we can't waste time on regrets now, there's still too much to do. And there's something else ..." _

_Rek'iel had contacts everywhere, and had some new information. He told Mar'tan, "I'm concerned the Others may act sooner rather than later. I believe we still have some time – but we can't waste what time we have left wrangling with intruders. We must move to stage two. We must eliminate them as a threat." _

o - o - o - o - o

After a quick breather, Jack concluded all team members were fit and good to go. He hollered, "Everybody up! Let's go, people, let's move!"

Sam and Stefan were getting faint but consistent readings from Merlin's device, and there was a feeling they had the enemy on the run, the team sparking themselves with pep talk and pushing ahead to find Rek'iel and Mar'tan and their protégés.

Stefan: "Should we be trying to focus on our mental-image shields?"

Jack: "Good question. Daniel?"

Daniel: "Yeah, good question. Didn't work last time."

Reed: "I don't care what anyone says, I'm counting on Saint Anthony's help."

They moved forward but were slowed down by rocky terrain, stumbling and struggling to climb a steep grade then slipping and sliding on the way down, Sam ending up with bruises and Stefan spraining his wrist. Then, coming around a bend, a foul odor wafted in from somewhere and had them coughing and choking; the source turned out to be hundreds of dead rats piled up in heaps, as if they'd been shoveled there.

And a sense of foreboding crept in, which had them looking back and around themselves constantly, because they began to sense unfriendly eyes following them and watching their every move, until finally something changed – they came to a spacious, wide-open vault, a huge chamber glistening with white limestone. The vast scope of it was stunning.

Jack asked Reed, "You've seen this before?"

Reed: "No, never. Don't ask me how it came to be here, 'cause I don't know. But look at _the_ _size_ of it!" 

As the rest of the team reached the chamber Sam's device emitted a high whine then began buzzing outrageously. Sam said, "Our sensors are accelerating, as if it's moved into hyper-drive."

Stefan: "I think it's on over-load."

Sam shut it down. With the device shut off they heard ominous sounds in the vault, like a quiet rumbling of thunder overhead, and a hissing sound on all sides – the nature of which they could not determine. Their apprehension grew and everyone got quiet, Stefan visibly trembling, Daniel frowning, and the Israelis became even more quiet than usual.

Teal'c pointed to something off to their right, which appeared to be a sign posted on the chamber wall. They approached and read it:

_WARNING: Further advance into this chamber is_

_prohibited. Those who disregard this warning_

_shall be liquidated._

Jack said, dryly, "I'm pretty sure it's not from the Israeli authorities."

They saw a woman approaching from the opposite end of the vault, with hands held out in front of her as if to show she was unarmed. She walked straight up to them and said, "I was chosen to deliver a warning, that what the sign says is true. Nevertheless, though I am one of Rek'iel's newly-ascended protégés, I want to help."

Daniel: "I recognize you – from your voice, from Tanzania. You helped us find Merlin's message inside the cave."

"Yes, that's true. My name is Shelley." She paused, looking into the faces of each of them, then told them, "I have come to warn you about the dangers you face ... because I have heard discussion of _stage two_. Though I don't know every detail, I know this chamber is filled with sensors and monitors and, most important, gas supply lines and a ventilation system designed to release the most deadly poison gas ever imagined."

She pointed to the walls and asked, "You see the vents?"

Now they noticed them: vents and ducts covered the ceilings and walls. Daniel said, "So _that's_ where the hissing sounds are coming from."

Shelley: "Yes. Now listen, somewhere out there," pointing towards the chamber's mid-point, "is a _point of no return_. According to Rek'iel, the monitors will detect any movement past a certain point and trigger the release of poison gas."

Sam: "Do you know its chemical composition?"

Shelley: "No, but it's extremely fast-acting, and so corrosive it can eat through any material. Even metal."

Sam: "It could be a new hydrofluoric acid derivative."

Shelley: "For certain, your gas masks will not save you."

Jack: "Is there another way through?"

"No. The only way is through this chamber. All other routes have been blocked and sealed."

Jack, Sam and Daniel exchanged a look of exasperation.

Daniel: "Can you do anything?"

"I'm not sure. Though I want to help, intervention on my part is complicated, Dr. Jackson, as you well know. And especially here in the tunnels, where there are monitors ... and other means of tracking my movements."

Jack said, "Maybe I missed the memo, Shelley, but what's Rek'iel's _end-game_ in all this? Just what is he trying to accomplish?"

Shelley exchanged a glance with Daniel, aware of just how complicated it really was. She said, "He wants to change the rules in the ascended realm. He foresees a new generation of ascended beings, who think differently, who understand their own full potential. According to Rek'iel's vision, there is much work to do."

Jack: "How high-minded. How noble."

"I understand your cynicism. But I believe he has, at least, good intentions. The problem comes with an unshakable belief that his ends justify using any means necessary." She frowned and tried not to clench her teeth. "He believes he must fulfill his destiny, and nothing else matters."

Jack: "Great. He fulfills his destiny while sacrificing our planet and everyone on it. We're just collateral damage."

"I know, the outlook doesn't look good."

Daniel: "And yet, you said you wanted to help."

Shelley held her hand out, as if asking them to wait, her head bowed, telepathically sifting through their deepest thoughts and unconscious motivations. Seconds passed – it didn't take long.

Shelley explained, "I needed to determine how deep your commitment goes and how much you're willing to risk. But now I'm convinced."

She took a deep breath, then told them, "There's something we can try, however meager the chance of success."

Jack: "_Meager_ works for me."

"Alright then. Now first, when the monitors alert them to a trespass here in this chamber, it doesn't trigger the release of gas automatically. It still must be activated manually – a failsafe demanded by Mar'tan during the system's installation."

Daniel: "So, the release of gas isn't automatic, as Rek'iel would have us believe?"

"Correct. Second, I intend to try to provoke opposition amongst the protégés, to any release of the gas. Most important though, would be if I can talk to Maghav Mar'tan. That could be the key, if only I can just talk to him alone."

Daniel: "Are you saying you think he'll listen?"

"He just might. It was Mar'tan who demanded the manual release as a failsafe for the gas. And I've heard rumors of other disagreements. So, while his loyalty is unquestioned, it's unknown what private differences may exist in Mar'tan's thinking. I think with him, at least there's a chance."

Daniel: "Any chance at all means there's hope."

Shelley: "Yes, I'm not giving up. Now look, if I can get anyone on my side, especially Mar'tan, to prevent releasing the poison gas, I'll signal you when the coast is clear."

Aware of being monitored, Shelley shook hands with Jack, Daniel, and Sam, to disguise slipping a contact device into Jack's hand. She whispered, "Don't look at it now, hide it," while flashing them a glimpse of her own matching device. "If I can accomplish something, I'll send a signal and it'll blink green, O.K.?"

Jack nodded yes.

She said, "I wish I could promise something, but I can't. And I suggest you retreat, if my green _all-clear_ signal doesn't come soon."

Jack: "How soon is _soon_?"

"Thirty minutes or thereabouts. Now my time is up – I must go."

She stood there a moment, scanning the walls of the chamber, and everyone noticed how quiet things had become: The quiet rumbling above them had stopped, the hissing sound too, was gone. Then Shelley waved goodbye, leaving them in the silence of the vault.

o - o - o - o - o

Jack asked Sam, "In case Shelley doesn't come through, is there a way we can knock out the sensors without causing a rupture in the gas supply lines?"

Sam thought a moment then said, "I don't see how. We don't have the right equipment." She brought up problems they could face with vapor density and the positioning of _angles of diffusion_ and how, "We don't even have a supply of atropine sulfate, which is the best nerve gas antidote. Bottom line, it's too risky."

Which didn't stop her from trying to calculate other possible strategies. She glanced over at Stefan who was sitting off by himself and asked, "Any feedback here, Stefan?"

Stefan looked anxious, sitting hunched over with signs of distress all over him, wringing his hands and muttering to himself about how, "We're all going to die. Planetary instability's already past the tipping point, I think, and that's the critical miscalculation in our plan. Yes, I see it now ... we're all going to die."

Jack: "Stefan, snap out of it! We're _not_ going to die." Shaking him hard on the shoulder, "Stefan!"

Stefan seemed lost in a fog of gloom and doom. "And what if we're already past the tipping point? Then chasing the Maghavs is a waste of time, because it's no use. I'm convinced Rek'iel and the rest of them have set off something irreversible."

Jack had seen Stefan having meltdowns before, but they didn't have time for baby-sitting. "Carter, can you get your partner back into working condition, and soon? Otherwise I might have to shoot him."

Sam said, "You're wrong, Stefan, we still have time to set things right. And I'm confident the plan our scientific consortium agreed on will stabilize our planetary system quickly, with dramatically positive results. But the plan depends on one underlying central premise ..."

Daniel: "Yes ... it won't work unless we can put an end to Rek'iel's planetary manipulations, right?"

Sam: "Right."

Jack: "Are you getting this, Stefan? Right now, all that matters is stopping Rek'iel." Jack fixed a hard look at Stefan: "Try to stay focused."

Stefan starting to come around, "I guess you're right. Maybe I'm just feeling the pressure."

Sam: "That's right, and you're not the only one. But we're all going to make it through this."

Teal'c: "You must remain positive, Dr. Davidson. I believe Shelley will succeed in her endeavors to help us."

Daniel: "So do I."

Reed said, "And Shelley won't be the only one working on this. I intend to put a request in on our behalf right now, to St. Anthony."

o - o - o - o – o

_Shelley had been circulating among the protégés – who numbered over a thousand, she thought, all with telepathic powers and longer lives, each of them with one foot in this world and the other in another world. Could she find a few, at least, who shared her principles and convictions? With focus and efficiency she quickly scanned as many as she could, telepathically searching for kindred spirits or even those with sympathetic thoughts. She used wide nets to search and scan ... but she was disappointed, finding little beyond their personal self-interest, and she knew why: They had expectations of positions of prominence in the New Order Rek'iel wished to establish. It was no use – none of them would ever question Rek'iel's judgement._

_She had to appeal to Mar'tan. But at the door of Rek'iel and Mar'tan's inner sanctum she found her way barred by protégé guards outside. She asked to see Maghav Mar'tan; a protégé guard told her to wait. _

o - o - o - o - o

Back at the chamber, Sam and Stefan continued trying to find back-up options, but so far without success. The Israelis seemed to have dozed off, while Reed spent some time on his knees in prayer. Daniel stood leaning against a wall, deep in thought, trying to figure out where they'd go from here if Shelley didn't come through. One thing he knew, the complete silence in the vault was getting on his nerves.

Jack constantly checked the device Shelley had given them. So far, nothing.

o - o - o - o - o

_The protégé guard who'd gone inside came back out, but with Rek'iel, not Mar'tan. Rek'iel assumed Shelley wanted to report on her meeting with the trespassers, but she'd asked specifically for Mar'tan. He asked, "What do you want with Maghav Mar'tan?"_

_She immediately realized that if seeing Mar'tan alone was impossible, she'd have to wing it. She told Rek'iel, "I hoped to talk to both you and Maghav Mar'tan." _

_But another protégé standing nearby spoke up, "Don't trust her – I suspect she's been scanning some of us, probing our minds. There's something suspicious about her."_

_Rek'iel brought her inside, where Shelley saw Mar'tan and several other protégés watching the monitors, which showed Jack's team at the far end of the large chamber. _

_Rek'iel told two of his protégé guards: "Search her thoroughly."_

_They found her contact device – all protégés had them. But Rek'iel noticed something about Shelley's device: The initials on it were not her own but the initials of another protégé – who'd earlier reported his device missing. Rek'iel asked Shelley, "How is it that you have a contact device which isn't your own?"_

_Shelley saw the initials, now realizing she must have accidentally handed her own device to Jack. All she could do now was mumble some excuse to Rek'iel, that she'd "found it," an excuse she knew hardly even made sense, because, then where was her own?_

_Rek'iel quickly realized what must have happened: When Shelley volunteered to persuade the trespassers to give up and retreat, perhaps she had not really tried at all? He asked, "What did you tell the trespassers? Are you working against us?"_

_Shelley: "Absolutely not!"_

_Rek'iel: "Well then, we shall see what happens when I press green on your device." _

_Shelley's jaw dropped, she cried out, "No, don't!" _

_It was too late – Rek'iel pressed green on her device._

o - o - o - o - o

After checking what seemed like a thousand times, Jack finally saw it – the green _all-clear_ signal they'd been waiting for. The team members had been sitting on the ground, some even lying down with their daypacks under their heads, but Teal'c was already up and ready and told Jack: "We should consider the possibility of a trap. I shall advance through the chamber alone, to determine that conditions are indeed safe."

Jack: "No, it's too dangerous. I won't have you be a guinea pig."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at the mention of a "guinea pig," an animal unknown to him. "There may be unforeseen dangers, O'Neil. Verifying the situation will pose a minimal delay."

Again Jack protested but Teal'c was resolved, and above Jack's protests began moving forward.

o - o - o - o – o

_Rek'iel saw the trespasser advance but didn't even wait for him to reach the chamber's mid-point ... ordering the protégé at the controls to "Activate the gas." But Mar'tan quickly reached in and grabbed the protégé's hand, preventing the release of poison gas. "No, we must not do this," he said, looking up at the monitors as Teal'c raced through the chamber to the other side._

_Rek'iel in pure shock at what just happened! "Mar'tan! What are you thinking?!" _

_All eyes were drawn to the monitors, watching the trespasser now standing on the other side of the chamber, waving to the others to follow, signaling that all was clear. _

_Rek'iel calmed himself and regained his composure. "Your doubts overwhelmed you, Mar'tan – you briefly lost your balance. It's not your fault, but now stand aside and let me handle this as it must be handled."_

_Shelley stood looking on with the others, feeling helpless but bound tightly by a protégé guard and unable to move. And though Mar'tan still hovered over the console protégé, that protégé was nevertheless again set at his position and at the ready. They all glanced up at the monitors, which showed the intruder team members prepared and ready to move forward. _

_Rek'iel told the protégé at the controls, "We'll dispose of that first trespasser easily enough later. Get ready, the group is about to advance."_

_Mar'tan felt his anger rising and spoke out defiantly, "No, I tell you, this isn't right!" _

_Rek'iel ignored him and told his console protégé: "Be ready for my command."_

_Mar'tan struggled, wrestling with himself ... but everyone's focus was on the monitors: They saw the group of intruders starting forward into the chamber. _

_With Rek'iel about to give the command ... Mar'tan suddenly exploded with anger and moved forward – knocking the console protégé to the floor and shouting at Rek'iel, "We can't do this! I won't allow it!" Mar'tan had stepped in and taken control of the activation switch._

_Rek'iel again completely in shock and almost beside himself with dark concern – because this was his worst nightmare: open rebellion from his closest ally and long-time supporter, a genuine partner who'd become like a brother to him. Rek'iel yelled, "Think, Mar'tan, think of how close we are to success! Think of all we have to gain!" _

_"__I am thinking of all we have to lose. Especially, our integrity." _

_"__Our integrity? All this concern, for what? For some abstract, personal principle? Those trespassers are here to kill us, don't you realize that?_

_"__No, they're simply here to stop us."_

_"__What's the difference? Look, right now it's kill or be killed and our time's running out!" _

_They glanced up at the monitors and were drawn to the scene playing out in the chamber; they saw the group of intruders moving forward gingerly, as if stepping on a crack on the chamber floor might set off a conflagration. _

_Rek'iel tried again, shouting, "Mar'tan! I order you to activate the gas!" _

_"__I cannot do that."_

_"__As senior commander I am giving you a direct order: Release the gas!"_

_"__I am giving you a direct answer: I simply cannot. I will not." _

_In the midst of all this they again glanced at the monitors and saw the team crossing the mid-point. _

_Rek'iel shouted, "Get out of the way!" as he lunged toward the controls to activate the gas himself – but Mar'tan blocked him hard and pushed him back, Rek'iel stumbling backwards before he righted himself. They stood glaring at each other, Rek'iel fighting to gather himself and refocus, Mar'tan defiant and standing firm. _

_Rek'iel was about to again push forward and simply overpower him – he could do it, he was physically bigger – when a thought flashed through his mind – this is my own point of no return. Because winning this particular battle could mean losing the war. Because a split with Mar'tan could mean a split into factions, and the disintegration of their movement. Should he risk that? Because if he lost Mar'tan's support, that would be the beginning of the end._

_Mar'tan saw Rek'iel's hesitation and told him, "You have my loyalty, always. But there is a line I will not cross." _

_Rek'iel made a quick decision: It simply wasn't meant to be. Not today, not like this. He said, "Alright then, we shall move to another back-up plan." Rek'iel stood up straighter and asked, "Are you with me?"_

_Mar'tan: "I'm with you."_

_Rek'iel: "We've got ten, maybe fifteen minutes to prepare. Let's gather everyone together and get to work." _

o - o - o - o - o

With Teal'c waving them on, Jack's team members made it through the chamber, and once they had everyone on the other side, set themselves for one last push towards the Temple Mount, Reed telling them, "One more push should do it."

They pushed and pushed themselves, but lost time pulling down some recently constructed barriers of rock, dirt and wood, Jack telling them to "Keep it moving, keep it moving!" And they went through tunnel sections with crumbling walls and ceilings, where shards of rock with jagged edges fell to the tunnel floor as they passed, Jack shouting, "Careful! Watch where you're walking."

But Sam's device kept up a strong and steady signal, which reassured them they were on the right track.

Daniel wondered what would happen when they found Rek'iel and Mar'tan – what kind of fight would they face, or would they find some situation they couldn't yet imagine? One way or another, he felt the end was in sight.

o - o - o - o - o

Reed saw them first. He was out front when the team finally reached the area under the Temple Mount, but as Reed got there he came to a dead stop and yelled, "Holy mother of God!" Seconds later the whole team saw it – a mass of lifeless bodies, hundreds upon hundreds of bodies piled in heaps, strewn everywhere.

But upon inspection the team found things weren't quite as they seemed; Teal'c and the Israeli medics were the first to realize something odd, with Teal'c telling them, "Their bodies seem strangely _hollow_."

Daniel too was checking the bodies and said, "These aren't ordinary physical bodies. They're _hollow shells_."

They began searching but so far hadn't found the bodies of Maghav Mar'tan and Maghav Rek'iel. Nor Shelley's.

Still, Jack was astonished, like everyone else. "So Daniel, dead bodies _or hollow shells_, whatever ... are we looking at a mass suicide?"

Daniel: "Maybe. But there could be more to it."

Daniel took a moment to think, reflecting on the scene before them. "Let's assume their physical bodies had already gone through a transformation process earlier, during their ascensions as hybrids. Then they could've simply abandoned their _shell-bodies_ – if they decided to escape into the ascended realm."

Jack: "They could do that?"

Daniel: "Yes, as long as they were willing to discard their last ties to the physical world and leave their human lives behind."

Jack: "So, after all this – you're sayin' they escaped?"

Daniel: "It's possible. Not only that, but there's so many inter-dimensional planes and sub-planes available to ascended beings, it might be hard for the Others to find them."

Jack: "For cryin' out loud."

Daniel: "Unless ..."

Jack: "Unless what?"

Daniel took a moment, pondering other possibilities.

Sam and Teal'c interrupted Jack, as Sam told him, "We've located the bodies of Rek'iel and Mar'tan."

Teal'c: "Shelley's body too has now been found."

Jack: "So, she went with them?"

Sam: "We assume so."

While Jack and the others talked ... Daniel felt a tug on his sleeve and a presence at his side or behind him ... he turned but saw no one there. Still, the feeling remained and the idea lodged in his mind that the presence was his daughter. He felt sure she was here, _with him in spirit_.

He saw Jack, still talking with Sam and Teal'c and pointing at something ... but now a tingling sensation spread through Daniel's body and images filled his mind, images of Rek'iel and Mar'tan and their protégés here in the tunnels, apparently some time earlier.

He began seeing scene after scene in his mind ... mental pictures of how Rek'iel and Mar'tan chose an ascended sub-plane which was partially shielded from the view of The Others, "due to its oblique dimensional angle," as he heard Rek'iel explain to Mar'tan, "and by its warped vibrational density, which will also provide some degree of insulation from their view."

Daniel saw templates being prepared so they could step into new physical bodies whenever they needed them; he heard Rek'iel discuss with Mar'tan how, "The templates must be synchronized, and astral alignments and dimensional coordinates must be fine-tuned," and how he wanted "all traces of our _etheric fingerprints_ scrubbed clean before we depart."

Scene after scene illuminated Daniel's mind – he believed Nikki had witnessed what happened and was sharing her memory of it with him. He saw and was able to understand how ascension potentials were pre-programmed into each protégé's astral body; he saw the protégés rise to a higher level of ascension, triggered by a single telepathically spoken word from Rek'iel.

Daniel heard Rek'iel tell the protégés, "A strategic retreat is not a defeat."

He saw their discarded physical bodies in heaps on the tunnel floor as they departed. No one would be able to find them – they couldn't be detected by Merlin's device or easily followed by the Others. They had accounted for everything.

Everything, except for one secret observer. They didn't count on a secret, silent witness telepathically recording all that happened, including the astral coordinates of their sub-plane destination. And now Daniel saw what happened after Rel'iel and his protégés discarded their physical bodies and departed:

Once the secret witness tipped them off, the Others tracked Rek'iel and the protégés to the designated sub-plane, where vast numbers of the Others met them head on. All avenues of escape were blocked, their powers were neutralized, they were trapped and taken captive. It was over, finally and truly over.

By now Daniel's arms were vibrating and his head was spinning – he nearly stumbled, but the vivid mental illumination ended and he no longer felt the presence of his daughter – if it really was her, as he believed.

Teal'c saw Daniel nearly stumble and walked towards him and asked, "Are you feeling unwell, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel: "No, I'm O.K., Teal'c. But listen, I believe I know what happened here. Rek'iel and Mar'tan and their protégés moved to another ascended sub-plane, where they thought they'd be safe. But it seems there was a secret witness to what happened, who tipped-off the Others, so Rek'iel and Mar'tan and their protégés walked straight into the waiting arms of the Others. I believe _that's_ what happened."

Sam: "Why, what makes you think that?"

Daniel: "I can't be certain, but I believe the secret witness was Nikki, and that she shared her memory of what happened with me. It felt like a waking dream or some kind of vision ... I don't know how, but I'm convinced I saw what happened."

Sam: "I bet, just like she told you, she was _with you in spirit_."

Teal'c: "Indeed."

Jack: "So Daniel, you think Rek'iel and his protégés were captured by the Others when they got to their new ascended sub-plane?"

Daniel: "Yes, I really do."

Jack: "I like that interpretation much better."

Upbeat thoughts went through Jack's mind – of the world getting back to normal, and gravity being just plain old gravity – and thoughts of victory and celebration and getting back home to Minnesota and his dog, Blue. And he wanted to say something to the team, to wrap things up, but now wasn't the time to get long-winded.

He told Daniel again, "Yep, I like that interpretation better, a whole lot better. Good enough."

o - o - o o - o - o o - o - o

THE END


End file.
